PHILIPPINES— Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Tuesday withdrew her reelection bid for the 2022 elections.
“Ngayong hapon wini-withdraw ko ang aking kandidatura sa pagka-Mayor ng Davao City. Si VM Baste ang papalit sa akin. Si Atty. Melchor Quitain ang nominado namin sa pagka-Bise Alkalde. Ito lamang po muna. Maraming salamat po,” the daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte said.
(This afternoon I am withdrawing my candidacy for mayor of Davao City. I will be replaced by Vice Mayor Baste. Our nominee for vice mayor will be Atty. Melchor Quitain. This is all for the meantime. Thank you.)
Sebastian Duterte earlier in the day withdrew his own reelection bid.
Some groups and personalities have been pushing for Sara Duterte to run for president in the 2022 elections. She has dismissed such calls and even discouraged a caravan being planned for her.
Under existing elections rules, a candidate can be replaced during the substitution period as long as the replacement belongs to the same political party as the candidate who will be replaced.
For the 2022 elections, substitution period is until November 15, 2021. —KBK, GMA News
