Bong Go on being considered as standard bearer of PDP-Laban: "count me out first, consider me last"

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go reiterated that he remains not interested in running for higher office in the upcoming 2022 national elections.

"Ang focus ko, mula noon hanggang ngayon, ay ang magserbisyo sa kapwa kong Pilipino. Please count me out sa usaping pulitika sa 2022," he said.

Go added that he would rather focus on fulfilling his mandate as Senator and his commitment to continue serving the Filipino people, especially amid the challenges caused by the COVID-19 crisis.

"Ang importante ngayon ay patuloy tayo na nagtutulungan para sa ikabubuti ng mga kababayan nating naghihirap dulot ng pandemya. Dahil kung hindi natin malampasan ang krisis na ito, baka wala na tayong pulitika pang pag-uusapan pa," he said.

"Ako naman po, hanggang 2025 pa ang aking termino bilang Senador. Bawat araw po na binigay niyo sa akin na pagkakataon na magserbisyo sa inyo ay hindi ko sasayangin. Ibabalik ko po sa tao ang serbisyong para po sa inyo," he assured.

Amid reports of him being considered as standard bearer of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN) for the upcoming 2022 elections, Go said that these are mere speculations.

"Kung mayro'n mang gano'ng usapan ay hindi naman po maiiwasan 'yan dahil po pareho kaming senador at pareho kaming kino-consider na (miyembro ng) partido," Go said during an interview when asked about PDP-Laban considering him or fellow Senator Manny Pacquiao as possible standard bearer in 2022.

"Ngunit uulitin ko, please count me out muna. Kung maaari ako na po 'yung pinakahuli sa listahan ng kinokonsidera ninyo sa pinagpipilian. Kahit huli na po ako dahil hindi po ako interesado to the point of saying na please count me out po muna diyan sa usapang pulitika," he added.

While he welcomed a recent Pulse Asia poll which revealed that Filipino voters prefer the tandem of Go and President Rodrigo Duterte as the next president and vice president of the Philippines, respectively, in 2022, he, however, explained that this only shows that Filipinos are satisfied with the current administration and want continuity.

"Marahil po gusto ng taumbayan ng continuity o para maipagpatuloy po ang mga mabubuting pagbabago sa bansa. At para rin po maisakatuparan ang pangako ng Pangulo na walang maiiwan tungo sa ating full recovery mula sa pandemyang ito bilang isang nagkakaisa at mas matatag na bansa," Go said.

"'Yon po ang aking pagkaintindi ko kung bakit po gusto ng taumbayan na nandiriyan pa rin po ang ating mahal na Pangulo," he added.

The PDP-LABAN recently released a resolution urging President Duterte to consider running for Vice President in 2022, citing the need for continuity in governance. Go said that if President Duterte is amenable to this, he may reconsider his stand on running in 2022.

"Magbabago lang siguro ang isip ko kung tatakbong Vice President si Pangulong Duterte," Go said in a statement.

When asked regarding the possibility of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte deciding to run for president, Go said that he will definitely support her the same way he supports her father.

"Alam ninyo, gaya ng sinabi ko, kung tatakbo po si Mayor Sara ay ako po'y full support sa kanya. 'Yung pagtingin ko po kay Pangulong Duterte ay ganoon din po ang pagtingin ko kay Mayor Sara," Go said.

"Ulitin ko ha, ang pagtingin ko po at respeto kay Pangulong Duterte ganoon din po ang pagtingin ko kay Mayor Sara sa kakayahan na mamuno ng ating bansa," he reiterated.

In the meantime, Go continues to remind everyone to focus on the country's path towards COVID-19 recovery and set aside political talks for now.

"Mag-focus muna tayo sa pag-recover po ng ating bansa at malampasan natin itong krisis na ating kinakaharap... importante po na maka-recover tayo dahil baka wala na tayong pulitikang pag-uusapan 'pag hindi natin ito nalampasan, itong krisis, itong pandemyang kinakaharap natin sa ngayon," he emphasized.

"Sabi ko nga po, kung papipiliin po, sabi ko please count me out na lang po. Huwag n'yo na po akong isali muna, kung maaari ako na po 'yung pinakahuling tao po, kung wala na po kayong pagpipilian pa," he added.