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Yet another potential running-mate of Vice-President Jejomar Binay in the 2016 elections has turned him down.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte rejected the former Makati mayor’s offer to become his vice-presidential candidate in the 2016 polls.
Duterte, who is rumored to be planning his own presidential bid, thanked Binay for the offer and said he is not eyeing a national position.
“He said it in good faith. I’d like to thank si Mayor Binay for considering me…The offer itself is an honor pero ako, I said that, noon pa I always avoided national positions,” he said in an interview with local program Gikan sa Masa Para sa Masa.
Duterte said he also turned down similar offers to take up national posts during the terms of Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada.
He was also offered the top post of the Department of the Interior and Local Government by the present administration but he turned it down.
Duterte said it is “expensive to live in Manila.”
“Wala akong ibang source, to have the apartment repaired and maybe I have to buy a car again. Ano ang sasakyan ko doon. Baka akala nila…they are all borrowed from friends.”
Binay earlier said he is open to the possibility of asking the popular Davao mayor if he is interested in joining forces as his running-mate. The vice-president described Duterte as highly qualified because of his successful record as mayor of Davao for 20 years.
“Siguro naman hindi magagalit si Mayor Duterte. Qualified ‘yun, successful mayor ‘yun,” he said.
A Social Weather Stations survey earlier showed Binay is currently in a statistical tie with Sen. Grace Poe on potential presidential aspirants. Duterte placed third in the survey.
Poe has also thumbed down a possible tandem with Binay, saying she and the vice-president have different ways of showing their service to the public.
This article has been re-published with permission from ABS-CBNnews.com.
Photos: News clips
