Ahead of the elections on May 9, President Rodrigo Duterte urges members of his Cabinet to refrain from endorsing any Presidential candidate for the 2022 elections.
"Hindi ko naman sila pinagbabawalan but I requested the Cabinet at the start of, ‘yung itong Cabinet meetings natin na sinabi ko kung maaari lang kayo mag-remain neutral na lang rin," President Duterte said in a taped national address aired on Tuesday, May 3.
"Kung may kandidato ka, just keep it to yourself and vote. But let us avoid endorsing any candidates so that there will be no second guesses or implications that we are supporting this candidate or that candidate," he added.
The Chief Executive made the call after reiterating that he will not endorse any of the Presidential candidates.
President Duterte stressed that his meetings with any of the candidates do not mean that he endorses that person to become his successor as the next top official of the Philippines.
"Ulitin ko, eh may haka-haka palagi na ganito kasi, just because I’ve seen in the company of them, it’s not that. As President, I have to go to where my duty mandates me to," President Duterte said.
President Duterte met with Presidential candidates Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. last March, and Sen. Manny Pacquiao last November.
