HONG KONG – There was a whiff of the 2019 elections when President Duterte addressed a 2,500-strong crowd of Filipino workers gathered here on Thursday.

Mr. Duterte mentioned possible senatorial candidates during his speech and even introduced his right-hand man, Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, as his “favorite senator.”

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Mr. Duterte spoke about the Navy’s frigate acquisition project controversy, an issue that made headlines in January, in which Go was accused of meddling after his office forwarded a South Korean bidder’s complaint to the Department of Defense.

Alluding to his aide, the President said that when a person with a very good public image was harassed, he became a “hero.”

‘He is Chinese’

“Without campaigning, he is becoming a senator. Bong Go, he is being called a senator. He has a lot of fans who don’t know him. And if those who are from Hong Kong will vote for him, then that would be a certainty. He is Chinese, just like my grandfather,” he told the gathering, which included groups carrying banners expressing support for Go.

Mr. Duterte also said he had heard that Inquirer columnist Ramon Tulfo, who was in the audience, wanted to become a senator. Tulfo would qualify, he said, though he warned pretty women to stay away from him.

“Well, he’s known to be a ladies’ man. There’s nothing we can do about that,” he said.

Mr. Duterte said he was also campaigning for his political adviser, Francis Tolentino. A former chief of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority before he ran and lost in the 2016 senatorial race, Tolentino remains “a very nice man,” he said.

Tolentino does not curse, and anyone in Cavite province can attest to that, he added.

The President also mentioned entertainer-turned-blogger Mocha Uson, Malacañang’s assistant communications secretary, who plans to run for senator.

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Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who once threatened to run for the Senate if her father’s critics continued to irritate her, received thunderous applause every time her name was mentioned.

Roque’s beef

Upon her father’s prodding, she addressed the crowd at the end of his speech, thanking the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) for their support for Mr. Duterte in his 2016 presidential campaign.

Other rumored senatorial candidates of the administration slate got an early feel of the campaign trail. They included Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Taguig Rep. Pia Cayetano and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

None of them made any direct mention of the 2019 elections, but took turns addressing the crowd before the President’s arrival.

Roque tried to energize everyone by making them jeer at the South China Morning Post over an article critical of Mr. Duterte.

Marcos, whom the emcee introduced as “the child of our beloved former President (Ferdinand Marcos),” sought out the Ilocanos in the audience, asking them if they miss the food from their region, especially the ones with naughty-sounding names.

Cayetano called on the OFWs in Hong Kong to continue supporting the President and his administration.

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