PRESIDENT Duterte and his long-time assistant, Sen. Cristopher “Bong” Go are officially out of the May 2022 senatorial and presidential race, respectively.
Duterte went to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Manila yesterday afternoon to personally file his Statement of Withdrawal. He was accompanied by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG).
Duterte’s Statement of Withdrawal was signed last December 11 and was sworn into on December 14.
The President had filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for next year’s senatorial contest under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS) party.
Earlier yesterday, Go also went to the Comelec and formally withdrew his candidacy for president, ending speculations that his announcement two weeks ago that he was giving up his presidential bid was a political strategy to prop up interest and attention to his candidacy.
“I am no longer in this race for the presidency in 2022,” said Go in an interview with reporters.
“I have already made the announcement last November 30. I have long decided. I just looked for the perfect timing,” he added.
An image of his Statement of Withdrawal showed that Go signed it and was sworn into it last December 8, 2021.
Go filed his COC for president in November 13 under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan as a substitute for Greco Belgica. This was after he withdrew his COC for vice president for the PDP-Laban Cusi faction on the same day.
Cabinet Secretary and acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said the President withdrew from the senatorial race to “better focus on managing our pandemic response in order to sustain the progress we have made in the country and in safely reopening the economy.”
Nograles said the President, apart from focusing on the pandemic, wants to focus on ensuring transparent, impartial, orderly and peaceful elections next year.
“After over four decades in public service, the President plans to retire from government to spend more time with his family when his term ends in June 2022,” he added.
The President had previously said that he wanted to retire from politics but later said he will run for vice president to continue the programs that he started and those that he has yet to finish.
He later on said he will run for vice president in 2022 to enjoy immunity from suits following threats by his critics that they will file charges against him after his term as president ends.
When he filed his COC for senator, Duterte said he wanted to institute reforms in the Senate amid the practice of some incumbent senators to conduct incessant investigations.
Go said he did not inform anyone, except the President, of his plan to personally withdraw his COC as he did not want to attract a huge crowd. He said even his security aides and driver did not know about his trip to the Comelec office in Intramuros, where he arrived aboard a cab.
“Actually, no one knew of my plan today. I did not even inform my driver. I just rode a cab [going to the Comelec]. Had I told them [PDP-Laban party mates], the more people will know of my plan, it will leak. As to PRRD [President Duterte], I already told him [of my plan to formally withdraw my COC], I just waited for the right timing. I just want my supporters to understand my reason for withdrawing,” Go said.
He reiterated he was not keen on pursuing his presidential run, adding that even his family was against his political plan.
“Hindi ko inambisyon na maging president…Hindi rin ako politico. Hindi rin ako nanggaling sa malaki o kilalang pamilya, Hindi ako sanay sa madumi at mainit na klase ng politika (I never dreamt of the presidency. I am not a politician. I did not come from a prominent family. I am also not used to dirty politics),” Go had said.
He also earlier said that he has already made up his mind about running for vice president but was made to change his plan after Davao City Mayor and presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio filed her COC for vice president under the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats party
SOLID MINDANAO?
Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao, who is running for president in next year’s elections under the PDP-Laban Pimentel faction said he respects the decision of Go.
Pacquiao said Go’s withdrawal will “solidify Mindanao votes” but did not clarify for whom.
Manila mayor and presidential aspirant Isko Moreno said: “I hope he (Go) will find peace.”
“Hindi ko kasi alam kung ano ang pinaghuhugutan ni Sen.Bong Go (I don’t know Sen. Bong Go’s reasons for withdrawing). It’s really hard because campaigns are physically, emotionally and physically challenging. Yung mga outside things that may affect your situation, mas makakapagpabigat ‘yun (If there are external factors affecting your situation, that will only burden you),” Moreno told reporters in a brief interview in Iloilo where he and his Aksyon Demokratiko team were on a “listening tour.”
“For the meantime, I hope he make peace with himself. He made a difficult decision. He made a sacrifice,” he also said.
Senate President Vicente III said the withdrawal of Duterte and Go are welcome developments.
“The withdrawal of President Duterte from the senatorial race, and my colleague Sen. Bong Go from the presidential race in next year’s national elections is a wise move. It takes a wise man to sacrifice something that he loves and give way to others who can serve our country better,” Sotto said.
PDP Laban president and Energy secretary Alfoso Cusi said the ruling party “humbly acknowledge” the withdrawal of Duterte and Go from the 2022 national elections.
Cusi said that despite the withdrawal, the PDP Laban remains as the dominant party “because of the success of President Rodrigo Duterte, who will be remembered as the most revered and well-loved leader of the masses”.
“PDP Laban is proud of the accomplishments of President Duterte amidst global disasters and the accompanying economic decline. Slowly but surely, the country has transitioned to recovery while countries in Europe and Africa continue to deal with COVID-19 surges,” he said.
He also appealed to his partymates to stand united in support of the remaining months of the President.
“We assure the public that PDP Laban will continue to espouse the policies and programs that made the Duterte Legacy possible,” Cusi said.
PDP Laban secretary general Mel Matibag said the ruling party will continue with its assessment and search for a presidential candidate who shares the advocacies of their political party and will sustain the policies that reform that of the Duterte administration has started.
“We reiterate our previous answer to this question, PDP Laban we will endorse whoever will align with the policies of the Duterte Administration and will continue the agenda of change that remain popular because these are being felt by the masses — tough against drugs, criminality, corruption, and terrorism; and fast, efficient implementation of socio-economic and infrastructure programs to guarantee recovery from the pandemic,” Matibag said.
SARA’S SUPPORT
Duterte-Carpio yesterday bared the names of six senatorial aspirants she will endorse in the 2022 national elections.
They are former Defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, former senator Jinggoy Estrada, former public works secretary Mark Villar, former senator Loren Legarda and former Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista.
Duterte-Carpio’s party, Lakas-CMD, twitted that “President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is at the top of her list” of senatorial candidates.
Duterte-Carpio chairs both the Lakas-CMD and the regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago.
Teodoro and Roque are from the People’s Reform Party while Legarda is from the Nationalist People’s Coalition. Villar is from the Nacionalista Party, while Estrada is from the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino.
The Davao mayor said her senatorial candidates are not necessarily the candidates included in the senatorial ticket of her running mate, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“There is no senatorial slate for the UniTeam since Bongbong Marcos has yet to announce one. However I have friends who are running for the Senate that I have supported because they are my friends),” the presidential daughter said.
The tandem had earlier confirmed that Estrada, Roque and Villar are included in their senatorial slate.
Several civil society organizations yesterday accused the Comelec of “dragging its feet” in resolving the cases filed against Marcos.
In a statement, the groups led by the Kontra Tambalang Marcos at Duterte (Kontra TaMaD) scored the Comelec for prolonging the process of denying Marcos his presidential aspirations.
“We denounce the poll commissioners for dragging their feet despite the patently illegal and immoral bid of the dictator’s son,” said the groups, stressing: “Marcos, Jr. was convicted of tax evasion 26 years ago, thus disqualifying him to run for any public office.”
They said they are concerned as the printing of official ballots is already set from January 12 to April 25.
“With this, we ask the commissioners to exclude Marcos’ name in the 2022 poll ballots,” said the groups.
They also said further delaying the resolution of the cases against Marcos also “reflects upon the Commission’s integrity and ability to conduct honest and fair elections and has the tendency of confusing voters.”
To note, there are already seven petitions against the presidential bid of Marcos filed at the Comelec. — With Raymond Africa, Jocelyn Montemayor and Ashzel Hachero
