Supporters still hoping Duterte changes mind

by Chito A. Fuentes

DAVAO CITY - Supporters of Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte obviously are still hoping he changes his mind and runs for president.

Metro Manila-based musicians who came up with the music video “Takbo” continue to court Duterte have separately visited him in Davao reiterating the message they conveyed in the song.

First to come over were Jimmy Bondoc and Paolo Santos who serenaded Duterte after a gig in a local mall. Bondoc wrote the song which was uploaded on youtube a day before the deadline of the filing last Oct. 17.

On Saturday, it was the turn of Luke Mejares to visit Duterte. Bondoc, Santos and Mejares formed the core of 17 artists and musicians who pooled their talents for “Takbo”.

Also standing up to be counted were Joel Guarin, Gail Blanco, THOR, Rickson Ruiz, Jerome Nunez, Pido, Ian Fajardo, Mike Caleda of the Crib, Max of Climax, NiEL DE MESA and Gibson Viduya.

Recently, it was the turn of six basketball stars to come out to express support for the popular Davao mayor in a video also uploaded on youtube.

They are Jobe Nkemakolam, Japeth Aguilar, Jay-R Reyes, Jeffrei Allan “Jeff” Chan, Joachim “Sonny” Thoss and Santiago Cabatu Jr.

The video opened with individual shots of the six players declaring “Duterte tayo!”, their right thumbs up revealing the now-familiar red and blue ballers.

At the end the 31-second video, all six were shown seated side by side with a Duterte poster hanging on the wall above the heads of Thoss and Chan. 

Aguilar, Chan and Thoss of Ginebra San Miguel, Rain or Shine and Alaska respectively recently played for the national team.

Last Nov. 9, Duterte was the honored guest during the 45th birthday celebration of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, a vice-presidential candidate. 

According to an exclusive Rappler story written by Pia Ranada, “what was supposed to be Cayetano’s birthday celebration became more like another event to convince Duterte to run”.

Duterte recently gave the presidential run a shot in the arm when he declared on his TV program that he might change his mind about the 2016 presidential race if the administration will not be able to solve the tanim-bala extortion scam at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

As part of his birthday message, Cayetano summed up what seems to be the call of the hour.

“The point, Mayor, is that we don’t have a choice. We keep telling people we want real change but they’re not given real choices. Give us a choice for 2016,” he asked Duterte.

Duterte has until Dec. 10 to make what he calls a “gamble for his freedom.” (CHITO A. FUENTES)