SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go denied Albay’s 1st District Representative Edcel Lagman’s assertion that President Rodrigo Duterte’s potential vice presidential bid is motivated by his “goal” to become a “successor-president.”

“Kathang-isip lamang po ‘yan at ‘yan po ay guni-guni niyo lang po. Unang-una, I am not a candidate. Hindi po ako interesado na tumakbo bilang isang Pangulo,” said Go in a statement issued on Monday, July 19.

Go enumerated various reasons that make Lagman’s speculation highly unlikely, saying, “Pangalawa, kung saka-sakali mang mangyayari ‘yung iniisip ninyo, mismo si Pangulong Duterte ay hindi papayag na bumitaw sa pwesto ‘yung nanalong Pangulo — kung sakali man pong siya ang maging Bise Presidente.”

“Pangatlo, sino ba namang Presidente ang magre-resign? Pang-apat, sayang naman kung nanalo na po siya at nanalo po ‘yung tandem, bibitaw pa ‘yung isa. Sayang naman po ‘yung pinaghirapan nila, at sayang naman po ‘yung tiwala ng taumbayan na ibinigay sa kanila,” he added.

In a statement, Lagman suggested that Duterte is aware that a vice president will not be immune from litigation, and that his real intention for wanting to run for vice president is “to become successor-president the moment the office of the elected president in 2022 is vacated by design or fortuitous event.”

Go refuted Lagman’s theory, saying that Duterte’s interest in running for vice president is fueled by his “unfinished business,” and that the President still has a lot to offer the country.

“Si Pangulong Duterte naman, bilang kandidato as Vice President, marami pa siyang ‘unfinished business’, at marami pa po siyang maiaambag para sa ating bayan,” Go said.

Whatever the outcome of the upcoming elections, Go assured that he and Duterte will respect Filipinos’ choice of their next leader.

“Palagi naming nirerespeto at isinasaalang-alang ang gusto ng sambayanang Pilipino at kung ano ang makakabuti sa kanila,” he said.

“Kung sino ang iboboto nila, at mananalo sa susunod na eleksyon, ‘yun ang dapat mamuno sa bansa bilang Pangulo. Kung sino man ang manalo, bakit naman siya magre-resign kung siya ang pinili ng tao,” Go added.

According to Go, the Filipino people will be the one to determine who they wish to elect as president and vice president as the Philippines is a democracy.

“Anyway, ang taong bayan na po ang huhusga. This is democracy. Mayroon naman po tayong eleksyon. Ang taong bayan po ang boboto at pipili kung sino ang gusto nilang maging Pangulo at Bise Presidente,” he said.

Go previously stated that he has no intention of seeking higher office in the future national elections in 2022, and that he would rather focus on completing his mandate as Senator and continuing to serve the Filipino people, particularly in light of the COVID-19 problem.

“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.