The League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) on Tuesday issued a resolution “strongly urging” Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go to run for the Senate in the 2019 midterm election.

The group, composed of municipal mayors all over the country, said it had approved the resolution during the Mindanao Island Cluster Conference in Davao City on 13 July 2018 and during the Visayas Island Cluster Conference in Cebu City on 21 August 2018.

In the resolution, the League said the mayors were declaring “unequivocal support” for Go’s candidacy.

“The Filipino people are in need of public servants with high competence, integrity, sincerity, and of known probity to serve and lead this country,” the group said.

For his part, Go expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the mayors’ endorsement.

“Ako po ay taos-pusong nagpapasalamat sa mga mayor ng bansa para sa kanilang pagpapakita ng suporta sa akin. Nakakataba po ng puso na hindi man ako interesado tumakbo ay marami pa ring mga tao na gustong sumuporta,” Go said.

(I am sincerely thankful to the mayors of the country for their show of support for me. It warms my heart that a lot of people are already showing support even though I have no interest in running.)

In a statement, League President Ma. Fe Brondial, mayor of Socorro, Oriental Mindoro, said the group believes Go “has all the qualities and qualifications that will make him an effective senator.”

“His sincerity, integrity, and competence are qualities that SAP Go has shown in all his years of service to the public both in his official and private capacity,” Brondial said.

She also said Go will be “an effective voice of President Duterte in the Senate as he shares the vision and goals of PRRD for the country.”

Echoing her sentiment was LMP Secretary General Mayor Abraham Burahan of Hadji Panglima Tahil in Sulu, who said that the League unanimously supports SAP Bong Go “as a whole.”

“No one from LMP opposed the endorsement resolution.” He also added that Go “can be the eyes and ears of those we represent as mayors and members of LMP. If he runs he can rely on our full support.”

The resolution was signed on behalf of the League members by Brondial and Burahan.

The resolution was released even as Go has insisted that he is not interested to run and his main focus is his work as SAP.

“Sumusunod lang po ako sa iuutos sakin ng presidente (I follow what the President instructs me to do),” he added.

Go has, however, expressed gratitude for the increasing number of persons and groups that have urged him to run.

Last week, the University of Mindanao Institute of Public Opinion (UM-IPO) released the results of a survey that showed he was the top pick of Davaoeños for the Senate.