Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
DAVAO CITY, Philippines鈥擳here will be no revolutionary government, after all. No federalism, either.
That means Filipinos must find 鈥渁nother son of a bitch鈥� to run the Philippines.
And that鈥檚 鈥渇inal and categorical,鈥� Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte told reporters and supporters on Monday as he announced his decision not to run for President in next year鈥檚 national elections.
鈥淎fter talking to my family and everybody else connected to my life, I would like to categorically state now, and also to end the agony of those waiting and for those who believe in me, I鈥檓 not running for President. I鈥檓 sorry,鈥� Duterte said at a news conference held in a hotel in Davao City.
Duterte said he plans to retire next year.
Malaca帽ang was glad about Duterte鈥檚 decision.
鈥淗aving dedicated many years to public service, he deserves an opportunity to devote his talents and time to other worthy [undertakings],鈥� said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.
Duterte鈥檚 withdrawal leaves Malaca帽ang鈥檚 presidential candidate, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, with just two rivals, as of Tuesday鈥擲en. Grace Poe and Vice President Jejomar Binay.
Poe, an undeclared candidate, had no immediate comment on Duterte鈥檚 decision to quit the 2016 field.
Binay wished Duterte well.
鈥淭he Vice President respects [Mayor Duterte鈥檚] decision and wishes [him] well,鈥� lawyer Rico Quicho, Binay鈥檚 political spokesman, said in a text message.
Not giving up
Despite his decision, Duterte鈥檚 party, the PDP-Laban, is not giving up hope that he will run for President.
鈥淲e respect Mayor Duterte鈥檚 decision. But advocates of federalism are still hopeful that he will reconsider his decision not to run before the deadline for filing [certificates of candidacy] on Oct. 16,鈥� said Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, president of the PDP-Laban.
Pimentel said Duterte had always been saying he would not run so the mayor鈥檚 announcement on Monday was 鈥渘ot an earth-shaking鈥� development for the party.
Good poll ratings
The tough-talking Davao City mayor toured the Philippines last summer to 鈥渇eel the people鈥檚 pulse鈥� and placed third, behind Poe and Binay, in the latest Social Weather Stations poll for the 2016 presidential election.
He placed fourth, behind Roxas, Binay and Poe, in the latest Pulse Asia poll.
Despite behaving and talking like a presidential candidate, even running TV ads undoubtedly aimed at promoting a run for the Palace, Duterte had been saying he had yet to decide whether to run.
What made him back off, he did not say at his hastily called news conference on Monday.
Backing Inday Sara
鈥淭he Punisher,鈥� as Time magazine once called Duterte for his iron-fist rule in Davao, said he had been talking to his daughter, former Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, and had told her he would campaign for her in her bid to return to City Hall next year.
鈥淚鈥檓 sorry to all of you who believed in me all along, to those who spent money to advertise my name,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 believe it鈥檚 no longer my time to be in politics, I will retire after my term,鈥� he added.
Duterte鈥檚 statements seemed to have doused the excitement of an expectant crowd outside the hotel. One woman, apparently not understanding what was going on, asked, 鈥淪o, is he finally running now?鈥�
Duterte also apologized to the politicians from different parts of the country who had prodded him to run and who might be disappointed by his decision.
鈥楢ll about federalism鈥�
鈥淚 told you before it was all about federalism, but when I went around, there were people who wanted to support me as President, some of them making commitments to me,鈥� he said.
He also apologized to the Moro people who had shown enthusiasm about his prospective candidacy. He warned that 鈥渋f the Bangsamoro Basic Law fails to pass in Congress, nothing short of federalism will appease the Moro people.鈥�
鈥淭o the Moro people, please forgive me, but let鈥檚 choose candidates who support federalism,鈥� Duterte said. 鈥淣othing short of federalism will appease the Muslim community.鈥�
Duterte also spoke about federalism in an interview with Inquirer editors and reporters during a visit to this newspaper鈥檚 offices on the night of
Aug. 25.
He said that if elected President, he would set up a 鈥渞evolutionary government鈥� to clear the way for a shift to federalism, which he considered the only solution to corruption, criminality and the Bangsamoro problem.
鈥淚f you don鈥檛 like that, OK. Look for another son of a bitch,鈥� he said.
Three for Senate
On Monday, as he withdrew from the presidential race, Duterte mentioned the names of several people who supported him and said he would campaign for those who would run next year.
Duterte then endorsed three potential senatorial candidates鈥擫as Pi帽as Rep. Mark Villar, ACT-CIS Rep. Samuel Pagdilao and Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo.
鈥淚 will support these three. But I will keep an open mind on whom I will support. These three are good and they can serve the Philippines well,鈥� he said.
He did not take questions from reporters.
鈥淚 have to catch a flight to Manila,鈥� he said.鈥�Germelina Lacorte and Karlos Manlupig, Inquirer Mindanao; With reports from Gil C. Cabacungan and Christine O. Avenda帽o in Manila
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Originally posted: 08:47 PM September 7th, 2015
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