Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Tuesday, Feb. 25, firmly rejected the idea of assuming the vice presidency should Vice President Sara Duterte be impeached.
“Ang pangit naman nun sa panlasa. Kami ang magdedesisyon kaugnay niyan tapos yun pala interesado ako at gusto ko pala,” Escudero said during a press conference in Sorsogon when asked about possibly replacing Duterte.
He emphasized that even if the position were offered to him, he would immediately decline, stressing, “So ngayon pa lang sinasabi ko na hindi ako interesado at tatanggihan ko yun kung inalok man sa akin yun. Hindi tama at hindi dapat ginagawa yun.”
Escudero also advised members of the House of Representatives, who have a role in choosing Duterte’s replacement, to adopt a similar stance to avoid accusations of pursuing their own interests.
He further clarified that the vice presidency doesn’t automatically go to the Senate President if vacated. Instead, the President selects a replacement from Congress members who are at least 40 years old.
