“The filing of candidacy and withdrawal is a personal decision. We can only support that decision,” Duterte-Carpio said in a statement forwarded to the media on Tuesday evening, December 14.
Both Duterte and his longtime aide Christopher “Bong” Go withdrew their respective certificates of candidacy on the same day. Go formally withdrew his candidacy for president.
Duterte initially announced he was running for vice president. During the filing of candidacy, he announced he is retiring from politics.
Go, instead, filed his COC for vice president.
Duterte later filed his COC for senator, substituting for Liezl Visorde of Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan, while Go substituted for the presidential race.
Davao City Councilor and Floor Leader J Melchor Quitain Jr. told the media on Tuesday afternoon that he was surprised with the president’s candidacy.
Quitain, who was attending the regular session of the City Council, learned the news from his colleagues.
“It would’ve been nice if we had him as a senator,” he said.
Quitain, in jest, said he wanted the president “to stay young forever” and continue serving the country.
He, however, respected Duterte’s decision, adding that he deserved to enjoy his retirement from politics.
“All the work he has done for so many years, I think he deserves to enjoy his time on his own,” Quitain said.
The president recently appointed the councilor’s father, Jesus Melchor Quitain, as the new chief presidential legal counsel, replacing Salvador Panelo, who is running for senator.
Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) Commissioner and Work for Davao program manager Norman Baloro, who was appointed by Duterte in 2018, said he believed in the President’s intention for running in the senate.
Baloro also believed that it is time for the president to retire as he had long been in public service for the past 20 years.
“Kung ako gyud, kung tan-awon nato, siguro na-serve naman gud niya iyang six years (In my personal opinion, I think he had served his six years in the presidency) efficiently, and effectively sa iyang panarbaho (in his work),” the PCUP commissioner told SunStar Davao in a phone interview.
Baloro was then the Davao City Social Services Development Office Buhangin District head.
He also thanked Duterte for the trust and confidence in his appointment. (With reports from SunStar Philippines)
