President Rodrigo Duterte has decided to officially withdraw his certificate of candidacy (COC) for senator on December 14, Tuesday, for the 2022 Elections.
Duterte, whose presidential term will end in June 2022 and is ineligible by the 1987 Philippine Constitution for a re-election, had filed his COC last November under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan.
However, hours after his longtime aide Senator Bong Go, who had been previously gunning for a presidential seat, withdrew from the presidential race, President Duterte personally filed his statement of withdrawal from the senatorial race to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), accompanied by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
“The President has filed his withdrawal from the Senatorial elections,” COMELEC spokesperson James Jimenez announced on Twitter.
The president’s withdrawal from the senatorial race had been broadcasted hours after his daughter, vice presidential aspirant Sara Duterte- Carpio had endorsed his candidacy for senator.
Initially, Duterte was planning on officially retiring from politics completely after his term ends, only to file his COC and run for senator via substitution on November 15 instead.
Photo Credit: Facebook/BongGoPage