As substitution deadline nears, Sara Duterte withdraws reelection bid
MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio withdrew her bid for reelection just six days before the deadline set by the Commission on Elections for the substitution of candidates for the 2022 elections.
“This afternoon, I withdrew my candidacy for Davao City mayor,” Duterte-Carpio said in Filipino on her Facebook page.
Duterte-Carpio said her brother, Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, will be running for mayor in her stead. Baste withdrew his candidacy Tuesday morning, telling local reporters that he did so on the advice of Duterte-Carpio.
President Rodrigo Duterte’s eldest daughter did not state any further reasons for her withdrawal. “This is all for now,” she said.
Even without any further statement, Duterte-Carpio’s withdrawal fans the flames of rumors that she will run for a national post, despite her saying earlier that she is not interested to do so, especially not under her father’s ruling PDP-Laban.
Prior to her backing out from the Davao City mayoralty race, Duterte-Carpio met with at least two presidential aspirants, former Sen. Bongbong Marcos and Sen. Bato dela Rosa.
Details about the meetings were scant, but Dela Rosa said he reminded her of the looming deadline for the substitution of candidates on November 15.
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Get the latest updates on the Philippines' preparation for the May 2022 national elections amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Main image by The STAR/Michael Varcas
Local executives are optimistic of peaceful elections on Monday in North Cotabato and Basilan provinces.
North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza says Saturday she is thankful to the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade of the 6th Infantry Division and units of the Eastern Mindanao Command in the province for supporting extensively the efforts of the Commission on Elections to ensure the safety of polling activities on Monday.
“We are also thankful to the Cotabato Provincial Police Office and the Police Regional Office-12 for their initiatives towards that goal. We are looking forward to a peaceful electoral exercise in our province on Monday,” Mendoza says. — The STAR/John Unson
Comelec names Director John Rex Laudiangco as the new spokesperson of the commission, replacing James Jimenez.
May 9, election day, has been declared a special non-working holiday.
In a proclamation released Thursday, President Rodrigo Duterte declared the holiday "to enable the people to properly exercise their right to vote, subject to the public health measures of the national government." — report from Alexis Romero
READ: Proclamation No. 1357 declaring May 9, election day, a special non-working holiday @PhilippineStar @Philstarnews pic.twitter.com/EvUUNb8Yuf
— Alexis B. Romero (@alexisbromero) May 5, 2022
The Bangsamoro police has mobilized 6,347 personnel to guard 1,195 polling sites in five provinces under its jurisdiction.
Brig. Gen. Arthur Cabalona, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, says Thursday the contingent includes 706 Reaction Standby Support Force and 405 Quick Reactionary Force personnel for deployment to Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur provinces.
Tension has markedly been high in some towns in both provinces owing to the deep-seated political animosity among local clans.
Besides Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao also covers the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and the cities of Lamitan, Marawi and Cotabato. — John Unson
The Commission on Election starts the distribution and conduct of the testing and sealing of the vote counting machines (VCMs) six days prior to the election day in the remote and far flung villages in Zamboanga City.
The early distribution of the VCMs was made with the authority of the Comelec central office following the recommendation of the local poll body here, says District 2 officer Atty. Stephen Roy Cañete.
“We asked permission and we were given the authority by the Comelec central office to start the distribution of the VMCs early. In case there will be glitches we still have enough time to replace the defective VCM,” Cañete says. — The STAR/Roel Pareño
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