SEN. Christopher Lawrence 'Bong' Go and President Rodrigo Duterte have not yet reached a decision about their potential presidential-vice presidential run in the 2022 elections, a Palace official said on Tuesday.In a virtual presser, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei Nograles said many people have rallied behind the Go-Duterte tandem but the two officials have not yet made an announcement about their political plans next year.Nograles, who is the executive vice president of the ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), made the statement when asked whether or not he will run for senator in the 2022 elections.'I'm a member of PDP-Laban so may proseso naman dun sa PDP-Laban (there's a process in PDP-Laban). Right now, I think my party, which is incidentally the party also of President Duterte, is still concentrating on muna kung sino papatakbuhin naming president at vice president (first on who will run for president and vice president),' Nograles said.For Nograles, Go is one of the most hardworking senators but remained to be a silent worker.Since 1998, he said that Go has been with the President when he was still serving as mayor of Davao City.The PDP-Laban on Tuesday released the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) Resolution 5, Series of 2021, formally endorsing Go and Duterte as the official standard bearer of the PDP-Laban in the 2022 national elections, in compliance with the Commission on Elections resolution.In its August 4 resolution, the NEC said that one of the basis of their choice of a Go-Duterte tandem is the high satisfaction ratings they obtained in recent surveys and polls.The NEC also said the Go-Duterte tandem would ensure continuity of Duterte's 'Tapang at Malasakit (courage and compassion)' brand of leadership.It also stated the need of the party to ensure the protection of overseas Filipino workers from abuses by their employers, continuation of the 'Build, build, build' and other infrastructure development programs, to ensure peace and order and rapid development in Mindanao and improve the country's Covid-19 response, among others.'A Go-Duterte government will further strengthen the gains of the current administration toward [the] achievement of improved quality life for every Pilipino,' the NEC added.Go, who is a long-time aide of Duterte, has repeatedly said he should be excluded from the 2022 election talks, particularly on seeking a higher position next year.Meanwhile, Duterte, on numerous occasions, has expressed his openness to run for vice president in 2022.'Inevitable'In a separate statement, PDP-Laban Secretary General Melvin Matibag said the adoption of the Go-Duterte tandem as the party's standard bearers 'seems inevitable.'Matibag said the party members believed a Go-Duterte tandem is the embodiment of the administration's program of leadership and governance.'So far, we have not heard of any other nominees as our candidate for president and vice president so I see nothing to hinder the adoption of the Go-Duterte tandem during our convention,' he said.Besides, Matibag said that the endorsement by the party's NEC of the tandem was reflective of the sentiment of the overwhelming majority of PDP-Laban.'That is the popular and logical direction for the party. The only catch is how President Duterte and Sen. Go would react to the party's decision,' Matibag said.'But of course, President Duterte would always make his choice on what is best for the country. So, the situation is still fluid as of now,' he added.Sen. Emmanuel 'Manny' Pacquiao, who has harbored presidential ambitions, has had a falling out with the faction in the party led by Matibag and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.Pacquiao belongs to a group led by Sen. Aquilino 'Koko' Pimentel 3rd, which had unseated Cusi as party vice chairman.In retaliation, Cusi's group ousted Pacquiao as president and elected him in his place.Matibag had said that other nominations will still be entertained during the party's convention that will be held in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan next month.He said that nominees could even include Pacquiao, who has also been gearing up for a presidential run in the May 2022 polls.'If they want to nominate Senator Pacquiao as a candidate at that convention to be standard-bearer of the party, they may do so. Everybody is welcome to do that,' Matibag said.
