President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday said he will not let his children run in the national post as long as the likes of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Otso Diretso are involved in politics.

Duterte reiterated that he discouraged his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio from running as president for the 2022 elections.

“I am stating publicly now that I am discouraging my daughter to run for any national office. I will feel pity. It’s an office --- entitlement of honor, everything,” Duterte president said in an interview at Davao City.

“I told her, I don’t want. You stay there, you stay here in Davao. The people need you,” he said.

Duterte said he will tell his children that the job “doesn’t pay”.

“As long as we have politicians like Trillanes, like Magdalo (group)… They think they are the only patriots of this country. Also the Otso Diretso… As long as we have these politicians the Otso Diretso, avoid the presidency. Doesn’t matter if it’s me because I can (endure),” he said.

“At the end of the day, a lot of paperwork. WQhen you open (the internet) you face an angry paid hacks. You don’t know what they are attacking you and (being) misquoted- they are the ones who (create) fake news,” he said.

As a president, Duterte said the public reviled him because of his behavior.

“As a public official (it) does not erase the fact that I am a politician. And as a politician I get to be --- reviled, screwed up, everything. So I return it the same way. But I --- you know Davaoeños that I’m not that,” he said.

“If you respect me, I’ll respect you. If you disrespect me, I’ll disrespect you. If you do me dirty, I’ll make you into a piggery,” he said.

The Davao City mayor headed the Hugpong ng Pagbabago group last election which the public hinted as her plan for running on the 2022 presidential elections. Ella Dionisio/DMS