Duterte still running for Davao City mayor: Comelec
Former President Rodrigo Duterte was not able to change his certificate of candidacy to run for senator on Tuesday, ensuring a clash with his former cabinet secretary Karlo Nograles for Davao City mayor.
As the deadline for filing certificates of candidacy for the 2025 national and local elections ended at 5 pm, Duterte or his representative did not appear at the Manila Hotel Tent City.
Commission on Elections chairman George Garcia said Duterte was not able to meet the deadline. ''He was not able to make it so he will run for Davao City.''
Duterte was in the upper half of the Social Weather Stations senatorial survey but early Tuesday, a radio report said he would run for senator. On Monday, Duterte said in a radio interview he was not fit for a national campaign.
''I'm filing as mayor of Davao City to give Davao a chance, to give Davao a choice . That is the reason why I filed,'' said Nograles, who resigned as Civil Service Commission chairman last Monday.
A total of 184 individuals have filed their certificates of candidacy to run for senator, and 190 party-list organizations have submitted their certificates of nomination and certificates of acceptance of nomination at the close of the eight-day filing period.
In the 2022 national elections, a total of 176 filed their candidacies for senator while 270 organizations submitted their bids for partylist.
Among the more prominent names, who filed their COCs for senator yesterday are SAGIP Partylist Rep Rodante Marcoleta, ex-Commission on Audit official Heidi Mendoza, detained Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, former senator Francis Pangilinan, former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez, and TV host Willie Revillame.
Revillame even had his filing of certificate of candidacy aired live on his program. DMS
