Sara Duterte still wants Defense chief post, spox says

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 11) — Sara Duterte, who continues to lead the vice presidential race based on unofficial poll results, still hopes to lead the Department of National Defense under the next administration, her spokesperson said Wednesday.

Speaking to CNN Philippines' The Source, Liloan Mayor Christina Garcia Frasco said the Davao City Mayor has indicated preference for the post in the recent past, and that preference has not changed so far.

"Not that I am aware. I do know as well that she is very well-versed in local governance, having been mayor for several years and very finely attuned to all the challenges that local governments face all over the country as well," Garcia said.

She also said Duterte is someone with a "vast experience in safeguarding the territorial integrity of Davao and ensuring that peace and order is always given paramount importance, it being one of the most important building blocks for progress."

"We've seen that in her ability to uplift Davao’s peace and order situation to the point where it is now one of the most competitive cities in the entire Philippines," Frasco said.

As early as January, presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. bared that his running mate wants to head the DND.

The presidential daughter is a Philippine army reservist with the rank of colonel.

Duterte said in the past that she will also push for mandatory military service for all Filipinos if she gets elected.

Marcos spokesperson Vic Rodriguez said there are names that are already being considered for certain Cabinet posts under his administration, but these will only likely be concretized once they start to discuss who will lead his transition team, among other plans in the near future.

Rodriguez himself said that even he is unaware of his possible role under the next administration.

As of 12:17 p.m. on Wednesday, partial and unofficial tally comprising 98.25% of election returns show the late dictator's son garnered 31,079,034 votes, more than double the 14,809,584 votes for Robredo.

Duterte, on the other hand, is leading with 31,532,384 votes, compared to Robredo's running mate, Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, with 9,224,409.