DAVAO CITY – Mayor Rodrigo Duterte filed Thursday his Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) for mayor, finally ending all speculations he would eventually plunge into the presidential race in 2016.
Duterte issued a special power of attorney for his executive assistant Lawrence “Bong” Go and City Administrator Melchor Quitain to file his CoC at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office here.
With a pensive face, Go and Quitain arrived at the Comelec office at 2:36 p.m., bringing with them Duterte’s CoC. Comelec marked his CoC received at 2.45.
Go, who was wearing a white t-shirt with a message at the back: “Sinabi ko na ayaw ko, ang titigas ng ulo nyo (I told you I do not want to, you are hard headed)” while the message on the front of the t-shirt says: “No is No”.
After the documents were cleared and officially received by Comelec election officers, Go, who was on a verge of tears, showed the COC to the media.
In an interview, Go said he and Quitain were just asked by Duterte to filed his COC for mayor with no other instruction or message to his supporters and the people anxiously waiting his final decision.
“Ever since nagtuyok si mayor for federalism wala siya mag sulti (he went around for federalism he did not ever say) he is or would run for president,” Go told reporters.
When asked why he cried, Go said he would not wish for the mayor to run for president. Go became the close aid of Duterte since the first nine years of the latter as mayor of Davao. He also refused to comment if there is still a chance for Duterte to change his position until December 10 to withdraw or change COC.
In reaction to former mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s new skinhead style as a show of support to his father, Go said people have different interpretations of Sara’s action.
Sara posted a picture of her shaven head with several hashtags on Instagram stirring netizens to believe it could be a sign of bigger things to come.
Earlier, Duterte cited Sara’s opposition to his running for the presidency.
According to Go, Duterte was already decided since Monday when the mayor announced with finality that he was not bent on seeking the highest post in the country.
“…This is indeed a beautiful day to end a wild dream,” Duterte said at the end of his unsigned press statement last Monday.
Duterte even apologized for disappointing those who spent much and worked hard and long to support him when he went around the country espousing the benefits and advantages of federalism.