De Lima open to elective post in 2016

MANILA, Philippines – The options are still open for Justice Secretary Leila de Lima regarding an elective position in 2016 after she again made it to the list of possible senatorial winners in the latest Pulse Asia survey.

“My attitude really is to leave it up to the future. Whether it’s in another branch of government or out of government, I would not know what will happen to me in 2016,” De Lima told reporters yesterday.

De Lima said talks about her entering the political arena in the next polls remain as “speculations” at this point.

“I have not talked to the President about it yet. I suppose there will come a time that he will ask me about my plans,” she said.

De Lima added it is too early to make such a decision, choosing to focus on her duties in the justice department.

“I don’t think it’s the proper or right time to decide. I am still faced with so many challenges in the department and non-stop work everyday,” she added.

De Lima admitted she was humbled by her inclusion in the Pulse Asia list of possible senatorial winners in the 2016 elections.

In the latest survey results released last Monday, De Lima got a 35.3-percent rating that put her in 11th to 15th place along with Sen. Sergio Osmeña III and former senator Jamby Madrigal.

Topping the survey were incumbent Senators Vicente Sotto III and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. along with former senators Francis Pangilinan, Manuel Roxas II and Panfilo Lacson.

Sotto got 51.6 percent of votes while Pangilinan got 51.5 percent, followed by Roxas with 47.6 percent, Marcos with 47.2 percent and Lacson with 47.1 percent.

As for former defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr., he does not have any plan of seeking an elective position in 2016.

Teodoro said he is bent on staying in the private sector and be of service to the community in his personal capacity. 

“Nothing can change my mind about it. My plan for my life in 2016 is to help people in the private sector. I think we can help people that way,” he said. 

Teodoro instead wanted Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to run for higher office, either as vice president or president of the country. – With Edith Regalado