Mayor Rody, SBG, formalize poll withdrawal

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go, on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, formalize their withdrawal as senator and president, respectively, in next year’s national elections.

Go quietly went to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Manila riding on a taxi cab to formalize his withdrawal, some two weeks after announcing his withdrawal from the presidential contest last November 30, 2021.

Go has cited his family’s opposition to his candidacy as well as in order not to further burden Pres. Duterte who is in a dilemma after his daughter, Davao City mayor, Sara Duterte, decided to run as vice president to former senator, Ferdinand ‘Bongbong/BBM’ Marcos Jr.

“As a matter of principle sinabi ko naman po sa inyo na wala na po ako sa karerang ito sa pagtakbo.

“Iyon naman po ang aking sinabi na naghahanap lang ako ng tamang panahon para ipaintindi ko sa aking mga supporters na… talagang nagre-resist ang aking puso at ang aking isipan sa pagtakbo bilang pangulo,” Go disclosed in an ambush interview outside the Comelec building.

“Ako po’y may isang salita, kung ano po ‘yung sinabi ko ay tutuparin ko,” he added.

Go and Duterte have chosen to run under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS), an accredited political party allied with a faction of the PDP-Laban.

In the week after announcing his withdrawal, Go and Pres. Duterte’s supporters held daily rallies at the Comelec office with placards and streamers urging him to continue his quest for the country’s highest political office.

Go decided to take a public cab in going to the Comelec office to avoid drawing “unnecessary attention,” a close aide of the solon said.

Later in the day, it was President Duterte’s turn to go the Comelec to formalize his withdrawal as senator accompanied by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

The country’s electoral laws call for candidates who decided for whatever reason to withdraw from running to personally appear before the poll body and formalize their decision.

Go also affirmed to the media that he and Pres. Duterte have not yet talked to whom they would throw their support among the remaining presidential bets, namely: Marcos, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Sen. Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Pacquiao, Vice Pres. Leni Robredo, Manila mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso, labor leader Leody de Guzman and former Army general, Antonio Parlade Jr.

Go, however, stressed that he would support any candidate who is decided to continue the good governance legacy of Pres. Duterte.

“Pag-uusapan pa namin ni Pangulong Duterte kung sino ‘yung makakapagpatuloy ng pagbabagong inumpisahan, iyong mga programang magaganda at nakakatulong sa mga mahihirap … Iyun lang ang pakiusap ko.

“Especially itong peace and order para makalakad ang ating mga anak na safe at wala tayong pangamba,” said the lawmaker.

“Napakaganda na ng COVID response. Huwag niyong sayangin kung ano ‘yung napag-umpisahan ng gobyernong ito para unti-unti na nakakabalik tayo sa normal na pamumuhay.

“Huwag tayo maging kumpiyansa habang nandidiyan ang COVID. Unahin niyo ang buhay at kalusugan ng bawat Pilipino,” he continued.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who is now the running mate of Lacson, on learning of the development at the Comelec, said the decision of Pres. Duterte and Go is a “wise move.”

“It takes a wise man to sacrifice something that he loves and give way to others who can serve our country better,’’ Sotto said in a statement released by his office.