Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte declared to his supporters, for the final time, that he is not running for president.
In a Facebook post, he said: “A little over two years ago, I posted in the government website over the Internet that I was not interested in the presidency. Nothing has changed.”
Duterte also said he is comfortable where he is now. If his daughter, Sara, would want it, she can have the choice to run in 2016 or in 2022. He added that he is tired and he wanted to retire. “Give the presidency to the one who wants it. I don’t.”
His statement put an end to what netizens have dubbed the “Duterteserye”, endless rumors that he is flip-flopping about his decision about running for the highest post in the country.
Speculations of Duterte running again were fueled when his daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio posted a signed copy of a certificate of candidacy (COC) for mayor. She had previously refused to take over the posted of her father, saying she would like a private life.
Sara, however, didn’t file the signed COC, even if her husband was reportedly on standby to file it for her.
Duterte cited Sara’s refusal to run for Davao City mayor as one of the reasons why he hesitated to run for president.
On October 14, Sara shaved her head in as a show of support for her father, should he decide to run.
Duterte’s final announcement on October 16, the last day of filing COCs, put an end to all the speculations.
