Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo “Rudy” Fariñas. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas confirmed Thursday that he had withdrawn his candidacy for the northern province’s governor in a bid to finally retire from politics.
“Yes. I did not really want to run for any office as I want to retire on Jun 30 – after 39 years since I started as Laoag City mayor on March 3, 1980, at the age of 27,” Fariñas told reporters through Viber.
The former House of Representatives Majority Leader explained that he had been announcing his plan to back out of the gubernatorial race since day one of the campaign period.
“In fact, I do not have a single campaign poster, nor my name is in our sample ballot. I’ve never even gone to the other district of our province,” he added.
Fariñas’ withdrawal leaves incumbent Governor Imee Marcos’ son, Matthew Marcos Manotoc, unopposed in the May 13 election. He was a board member of Ilocos Norte’s 2nd district.
Manotoc, the youngest of Imee’s three sons, replaced convicted Ilocos Norte 2nd District Rep. Imelda Marcos when she canceled her gubernatorial bid last November 2018. /cbb
READ: Imelda pulls out of Ilocos Norte gubernatorial race, fields grandson
Given Manotoc’s “youth,” “vigor” and three-year public service record, Fariñas believes he could serve the province “excellently like (he) did.”
Fariñas suddenly decided to fight Manotoc early December, setting-aside his original plan to retire from politics. This after former Ilocos Norte Gov. Michael Marcos Keon filed his candidacy against reelectionist Laoag Mayor Chevylle Fariñas.
READ: Ilocos Norte deal falls apart, sets Fariñas-Marcos showdown
The two political clans had a falling out when in 2018, Fariñas, among others, initiated an inquiry on alleged misuse of Ilocos Norte’s share of tobacco excise taxes.
The House committee on good government and public accountability later recommended the filing of administrative and criminal cases against officials and employees of the provincial government of Ilocos Norte who are involved in the alleged anomalous purchase of 110 units of Foton minicabs.
READ: House seeks graft charges vs Imee over tobacco tax