Palace confirms Duterte thinking about running for senator in 2022

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Friday confirmed that President Rodrigo Duterte is “considering” his allies’ calls for him to run for senator in the 2022 elections.

“As far as I know, wala pa pong final na desisyon but as Sen. Bong Go said, he is considering it,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace briefing.

Go, Duterte’s long-time aide, earlier said the chief executive has not ruled out the possibility of seeking a senatorial seat in next year’s elections. This, even if Duterte himself said last October 2 that he has decided to retire from politics.

READ: President Duterte announces retirement from politics

“He is considering, studying it well,” Go had said in a mix of Filipino and English. “If it will help the country, he might. He’s considering running.”

READ: Duterte still considering Senate run so he can continue helping Filipinos, says Go

The PDP-Laban faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi first drafted Duterte as the ruling party’s candidate for vice president in the May polls next year.

But the President balked at this so Go instead took his place and filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for vice president.

Senator Ronaldo dela Rosa, another long-time ally of Duterte, also made a last-minute filing of his COC for president under the PDP-Laban Cusi-wing after the much-awaited filing of the President’s daughter, incumbent Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, did not happen before the Commission on Elections in Manila.

Later, Cusi floated the idea to instead have Duterte run for senator in next year’s elections.

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