Duterte: I deeply regret running for president
MANILA, Philippines — Nearly three years into his presidency, President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he regretted his decision to run for the highest position in the country and warned his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, from joining the presidential race.
Speaking in his native Visayan dialect before newly-elected local government officials in Cagayan De Oro City, Duterte said he had lost interest in his job, adding that he told Sara not to run for president because she would be “disrespected” by critics.
“I lost my enthusiasm to work. Actually, I deeply regretted it. I regretted my decision to run for president,” Duterte said.
“That is why when people speculated Inday to run for president, I told her, ‘Don’t do it, ‘Day. You will not be able to control it. They will disrespect you, those sons of b******,” he added.
“Then there are people like Trillanes, the politicians who are not doing anything. They are the rogue soldiers,” he continued, referring to his vocal critic Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.
Analysts say Sara, who played a crucial role in the victory of administration bets in the May senatorial polls, is emerging as a strong presidential contender to succeed his father.
The 74-year-old Duterte had denied accusations he was seeking a way to stay in power beyond the end of his term in 2022 through his plan to introduce federalism, and repeatedly floated the possibility of ceding power early. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral
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