By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he wants some legalities clarified first on the reported vice presidential bid of President Rodrigo Duterte before making any endorsement.

Lacson made the response after three governors in Western Visayas have announced their support for Duterte to run as vice president.

“I have not joined that bandwagon because I didn’t know if [Duterte] could be president again. That’s an issue that I want to be resolved first because it is the Vice President and if there’s a vacancy can he be President? I think that should be resolved first before we can even endorse him to be the Vice President,” Lacson pointed out.

Duterte, who once said he will retire after his presidency, once again floated the idea of a vice-presidential run in the 2022 elections as it would give him immunity from lawsuits amid threats that he will also face charges after his term just like some of his predecessors.

His possible candidacy, however, has raised legal questions about how it could circumvent a ban on presidential term limits and has also been viewed as a way for him to remain immune from criminal charges.

Under the law, a president can only be elected for one six-year term without reelection.

The Duterte-Duterte tandem referring to Davao City Mayor Sarah Duterte-Carpio and President Duterte topped the recent survey conducted by Pulse Asia among the possible presidential and vice presidential candidates for the May 9, 2022 elections./DGB, WDJ