Binigyan ni Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque ang kanyang sarili ng hanggang ngayong weekend para pag-isipan kung magbibitiw siya sa pwesto.
Ito ay kasunod ng naging pahayag ni Roque na nag-day off lamang ang pangulo nuong Miyerkules matapos na hindi makadalo sa ilang opisyal na iskedyul habang umamin namang ang presidente na nagpatingin ito sa ospital.
Ayon kay Roque, hindi siya magiging epektibong tagapagsalita ng pangulo kung hindi niya nalalaman ang mga ginagawa o aktibidad ng punong ehekutibo.
“In my decision on whether not to run, to accept whatever the Office of the President may have, I will consider the fact that in this capacity as spokesperson, I must know everything about the president. I do concede that his going to the diagnostic exam was something I did not know and therefore, I’m inclined to believe that perhaps I’m not in a position to continue with this current function. I was in the dark and now how can people believe me when I just said he had private time and apparently, he had a diagnostic examination. Analyzing what I’ve said, I did say that I had no personal knowledge, he had a private time and even a diagnostic examination is in fact cover a private time.” Pahayag ni Roque.
Samantala, inihayag din ng kalihim na may ibang posisyon ang iniaalok sa kanya ng pangulo.
Ito ay matapos naman lantarang sabihin ng pangulo na hindi mananalo si Roque sa pagka-senador dahil sa ayaw ng mga sundalo dito.
“Prior to this speech we had a command conference where the President asked me to stay and offered me a position which currently does not exist yet ‘no. While there was no categorical agreement on what to do, I did say I will consider it and I wanted a weekend to think it over. He mentioned it again in the PMA affair, but I think the manner by which he mentioned it was typical Duterte; he cariño brutal if you need to put it, but I think he has sent the message that he prefers that I stay. What would be my response? I need a weekend I need to ponder at this point.” Ani Roque.