‘Crazy’ Philippine 2022 elections
AS the deadline for candidate substitution for next year’s national elections draws near, the country’s political landscape has turned weirder—and crazier—with the Dutertes in the midst of it all.
This, after Sen. Christopher ‘Bong’ Go, went to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Saturday, November 13, 2021, accompanied by Pres. Duterte and other Palace officials, to change his certificate of candidacy (COC) from vice president, to president.
Presidential Communications and Operations Office (PCOO) secretary, Martin Andanar, who also accompanied Go, said Pres. Duterte would “come back” (“babalik”) to the Comelec office on Monday, November 15, 2021, to file his own COC for vice-president under their faction of the PDP-Laban, thus making it a ‘Go-Duterte’ tandem for next year’s polls.
The date is also the last day for candidate substitution, based on the rules laid down by the Comelec.
It can be recalled that when Pres. Duterte accompanied Go during the latter’s filing of his COC for vice president last October 2, 2021, he publicly announced his decision to retire from politics.
The surprise development on Saturday came after Sara Duterte, Davao City mayor and presidential daughter, took his oath of office as member of the Lakas-CMD, just two days previously, November 11, 2021.
Sara took her oath before party president, Leyte representative and House Majority Leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, the first cousin of former senator and presidential candidate, Ferdinand ‘Bongbong/BBM’ Marcos, who now heads the ‘Partido Federal ng Philippines’ (PFP).
The next day, it was announced by the PFP that Sara would be the running mate of Marcos.
Just two days prior to this, on November 9, 2021, Sara withdrew her candidacy for Davao City mayor in favor of her brother, Davao City vice mayor, Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte, despite repeatedly saying she is not interested in seeking a national position and would want to focus her attention in completing her term as city mayor.
The ‘Marcos-Duterte’ tandem is already seen as a formidable ticket and the team to beat, based on the result of all pre-poll surveys showing the ticket would dominate the election with over 50 percent of the votes in its favor.
‘Deep rift’ in the Duterte camp?
However, with Pres. Duterte still maintaining an average trust rating of more than 50 percent even during his last months in office, his decision to contest the vice presidency against his own daughter has put the result of next year’s polls into question.
Go, for his part, also has been dominating the vice-presidential race this early and this is seen to also boost his and Pres. Duterte’s chances at the polls.
However, the development also gives rise to suspicion that there is a “deep rift” in the Duterte camp and inside the family that prompted the Chief Executive to run against his own daughter.
For one, Sara has always been vocal in not joining the PDP-Laban, should she seek a national office and which she proved when she opted to instead join the Lakas-CMD.
Political analyst, Prof. Ramon Casiple, during the ‘Meet the Press/Report to the Nation’ forum last November 12, 2021, had already warned that a “divided” administration ticket, or should Marcos and Duterte parted ways, can pave the way for other candidates, specifically Vice President Leni Robredo or Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso, to end up being elected president.
