Rodrigo Duterte (left), seven-term Davao City mayor and presidential candidate, raises his hands with running mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano during their proclamation ceremony in Manila on Monday. Duterte filed his candidacy last week following weeks of speculation on his intention.(MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Presidential aspirant Roy Señeres has denied a newspaper report that claimed two Associate Justices attempted to convince him to withdraw his candidacy in favor of his fraternity brother, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
Señeres said although he met with Associate Justices Jose Mendoza and Bienvenido Reyes, it was only for a simple lunch meeting hosted by his fraternity brothers.
“It’s not true in the sense that while I can confirm that the two were present during the lunch meeting, they did not utter any word about the possibility of my giving in for Mayor Duterte. We were talking about some other things,” Señeres said.
The meeting has raised issues of conflict of interest should qualification issues reach the Supreme Court.
Seneres admitted however that the topic of his possible withdrawal was brought up during the said lunch meeting.
“When the matter of my possible withdrawal was discussed, it was one of the two lawyers who were there who brought it up, but the two [Associate] Justices just sat there,” he said.
Señeres said he did not give in and is determined to pursue his presidential bid. (MNS)