Davao City (CNN Philippines) —Supporters of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte in Mindanao could well go to Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, the Liberal Party standard bearer in the 2016 elections.
This was the opinion of Maguindanao Gov. Eshmael “Toto” Mangudadatu who attended the “Gathering of Friends” of Roxas at the SMX Convention in Lanang, Davao City on Wednesday (September 9).
Related: Duterte not running for president in 2016
Mangudadatu said that Duterte’s declaration that he was not running for president in 2016 made the decision to support Roxas easier. He admitted that his heart would always be for a Mindanaoan candidate.
With Duterte out of the picture, Mangudadatu said they were expecting to get the lion share of Duterte’s supporters in Mindanao.
Asked what made him choose Roxas over other presidentiables, Mangudadatu said that, under the Daang Matuwid administration of President Benigno Aquino III, his province received projects which they never got in past administrations.
