Willie Revillame won’t run in 2022 elections

TV host Willie Revillame announces on his show on GMA Network that he will not run for any elective position in 2022. Screengrab from Wowowin

MANILA, Philippines — Television host Willie Revillame will not run in the elections next year.

Revillame made the announcement during his television show on GMA Network on Thursday. He said he wants his show to continue in order to help other people.

“Sa araw na ito, tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang Wowowin. Hindi ko po kailangan kumandidato. Hindi ko po kailangan manalo. Ang kailangan ko ay makasama kayo, dahil sa puso ko, sa isip ko, dapat laging ang mga Pilipino, kayo ang panalo. Ang programang ito na Wowowin ay ginawa para sa inyo,” he said.

(Wowowin will continue. I do not need to be a candidate. I do not need to win. What I need is to be with you, because in my mind and heart, Filipinos should always be the winners. The Wowowin show was made for you.)

“Ako po si Wilfredo Revillame, nanunumpa sa inyo, dito lang ako sa Wowowin para magsilbi sa inyo. Tuloy-tuloy lang po ang Wowowin,” he added.

(I am Wilfredo Revillame, promising you that I will just be here at Wowowin to serve you. Wowowin will continue.)

In June, President Rodrigo Duterte said he wants Revillame to run for senator in the 2022 elections. Duterte, at that time, said Revillame was having second thoughts on running for senator.

In announcing his decision, Revillame also pointed out that he is not knowledgeable about the law.

“Pag tinanong ako, ‘Bakit ka tatakbo, Willie?’ ‘Gusto kong gumawa ng kabutihan.’ Yun lang. O, kabutihan lang ba ang dapat mong gawin pag nasa senado ka? Dapat marunong kang magbasa ng batas. Dapat marunong kang gumawa ng batas, ‘di ba?” he said.

(If you ask me why I will run, I will say I want to do good. But should you only do good in the Senate? You should also know how to read the law. You should know how to craft laws, right?)

“Kung sakaling tatakbo ho ako sa senado, hindi naman ako magaling mag-Ingles. Wala akong alam sa batas. Baka ho lait-laitin lang ako doon ng ating mga mahal na senador na magagaling. Hindi man lait-laitin, siguro baka wala naman akong maiaambag na batas, di ba? Baka dumating yung time na sayang lang yung boto niyo sa akin, na wala akong nagagawa. Wala rin akong naiambag na knowledge about the law dahil hindi ho ago abogado,” added the TV host.

(If ever I run for senator, I am not good at English. I am not knowledgeable about the law. Senators may just mock me there. Even if they don’t mock me, maybe I won’t be able to contribute anything to the law, right? There may be a time when your vote for me will come to waste because I won’t be able to do anything. I also won’t be able to contribute any knowledge about the law because I am not a lawyer.)

Meanwhile, Revillame also expressed dismay over how government officials quarrel about certain issues.

“Sa napapanood ko po ngayon, parang nalulungkot ako dahil awayan nang awayan. Binoto kayo ng sambayanan. ‘Yan ang napapanood ng lahat ng Pilipino,” he said.

(I am saddened by what I see now because there are a lot of fights. The public voted for you, yet that is what they are seeing.)

The filing of certificates of candidacy for next year’s elections ends on Friday, October 8.