Manila, PHILIPPINES – In a surprising turn of events, President Rodrigo Duterte filed his certificate of candidacy as senator through his representative on Monday, November 15, despite his earlier announcement in October that he will be retiring from politics after his term as president.
With this last-minute change in his political plans, the incumbent president will no longer face his daughter, incumbent Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, in a vice-presidential race, which was first floated by Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar on Saturday, November 13.
According to initial reports, President Duterte was not pleased by the decision of his daughter to run as vice president, especially as the running mate of Bongbong Marcos, given the fact that she was leading the presidential surveys.
Duterte did not also file his candidacy as a candidate of the ruling party PDP-LABAN but under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS), replacing Monaliza Visorde.
The plan to run as a senator was first revealed by PDP-Laban president Alfonso Cusi, saying that the party was convincing the president to vie for a Senate seat instead after he initially decided not to run for vice president and just retire from politics. TNF