President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday evening called on Filipinos to rally behind his successor, President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., amid the daunting challenges the new administration will face.
“President-elect Marcos would need everyone’s cooperation and help. We have to give it to him. It is democracy. That’s how we operate,” Duterte said in his televised Talk to the People.
“We must all be united to face the problems that lie ahead. We have no place for political politics or actions that divide the country. The people have spoken, we already have our leader.
“Once people have talked about the leader they want, we have to follow. We should avoid playing politics. We rally behind the elected leaders of our country. This is how our form of government works,” he added.
Duterte earlier formed the Presidential Transition Team, led by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, to ensure a smooth transition ahead of Marcos’ June 30 inauguration.
Medialdea said his team had already met his possible successor, Vic Rodriguez.
Duterte, who will complete his six-year term in less than a month, said he chose to keep the peace by urging Filipinos to refrain from politics.
“As for me, I’m done. I won’t say anything,” he said.
“What I don’t want is for there to be people resorting to politics or just criticizing the new administration. You don’t do that,” the president added.
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