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.
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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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