President Rodrigo Duterte and Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2^nd District) have vowed to support each other in their quests to serve their publics.

Aumentado declared his support for Duterte shortly after he won the presidency in the May 9 elections by a landslide.

For his part, Duterte’s personal assurance of support for Aumentado came in June when they met at the Shangri-La Mactan in Cebu. Both were wedding sponsors of     mining magnate Fernando “Ding” Borja’s daughter, Beatriz Amanda. Borja is president of Mandaue City-based Adnama Mining Resources.

When Aumentado introduced himself to the president, the latter immediately recalled his times with the solon’s father, Erico Boyles Aumentado.

Duterte said he and the senior Aumentado had worked together at the House of Representatives in 1998-2001. Aumentado represented Bohol’s 2^nd District while Deterte represented Davao City’s 1^st District. They called each other “Paré”.

The president said Aumentado’s congressional legacy is his good name and good record. He said he admired Aumentado because he was a good legislator and a good public servant.

Bohol’s multifarious awards received when Aumentado was governor are testaments to his good performance, the president said.

He added that he shares the senior Aumentado’s stand of providing public service that transcends political colors. This is why he “instructed” the solon, who is not his party-mate in the PDP-Laban, to visit him some time in Malacañan. He wants to sit down with the solon for an in-depth discussion on his development thrusts for the district. He assured the solon of help in implementing the plans.

He told the solon to call his secretaries, They will help you, he assured him.

He also apologized to Aumentado for his failure to attend the wake and burial of his “good friend”. (June S. Blanco)