REPRESENTATIVE Rufus Rodriguez and his Centrist Democratic Party (CDP) said over the weekend that they will be backing Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of PDP-Laban for President and Liberal Party’s (LP) Leni Robredo for Vice President this May.
Rodriguez made the announcement on the eve of the local campaign period and ahead of the CDP’s proclamation rally on Monday, March 28.
Rodriguez, who earlier announced that he was supporting LP’s Mar Roxas, said the decision to back Duterte came after CDP members met last week to finalize who to support this May.
He said Duterte and Robredo came out as the preferred candidates of party members and said he hopes Roxas would understand.
Rodriguez said out 42 members who voted composed of CDP party officials and the party’s local slate, 24 picked Duterte, went for Senator Grace Poe and Mar Roxas respectively, and two for Vice President Jejomar Binay.
None chose Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, while majority of the party members picked Robredo for vice president.
"The voting was through ballots," Rodriguez said.
He said the party also decided to endorse the candidacies for the Senate of the following: TG Guingona, Migz Zubiri, Richard Gordon, Serge Osmena, Leila De Lima, Roman Romulo, Neri Colmenares, Franklin Drilon, Francis Tolentino and Isko Moreno.
Rodriguez said the party will officially only endorse 10 senatorial candidates and leave the remaining two spots for members’ personal preferences.
The lawmaker said they picked Duterte because, among others, the party believes the time has come for a President from Mindanao.
He said the CDP also stands behind the tough-talking, long-time Davao City Mayor who has promised to rid the country of illegal drugs, criminality, and corruption within three to six months.
Rodriguez said the CDP chose Duterte because of a shared belief in Federalism and the need for a Mindanao railway system.
He said he has already spoken with Duterte but said he has yet to inform Robredo of the party’s decision.
"He (Duterte) said he is happy about our support," Rodriguez said.