(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte is running as a senatorial candidate in the 2022 national elections.
Duterte, through a lawyer, filed his certificate of candidacy as a senatoriable under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS) an allied party of PDP-Laban, which was also the declared party of presidential candidate, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go.
Duterte’s candidacy under PDDS was filed minutes before the 5 p.m. deadline set by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) for the filing of substitution of candidacies for the 2022 national and local elections, on Monday, Nov. 15.
Before this, his erstwhile spokesperson Harry Roque said that Duterte won’t run against his daughter, Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio who, on Saturday, Nov. 13, had already filed her “substitute” candidacy for the vice-presidential post under the LAKAS-CMD party.
This was even though President Duterte had said on Sunday, Nov. 14, that he just “might” run as a vice-presidential bet just to register his dismay with Sara’s decision to run for the vice-presidency, instead of the presidency.
Roque, on Monday, Nov. 15, himself filed his candidacy as a substitute senatorial bet under the People’s Reform Party. He said that from being the presidential spokesperson, he wanted to be the “action man” at the Senate next year.
President Duterte earlier said he would fully support his former long-time aide, Go, in his run for the presidency. He said that it was he who had advised Go to run for the top national post after his daughter Sara decided to run as a vice-presidential candidate despite her strong showing in opinion polls.
(Eagle News Service)