Bato to withdraw, support Go-Duterte if Duterte changes mind

MANILA, Philippines — Senators warned yesterday of possible abuse of candidate switching or substitution as allowed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) until Nov. 15 amid reports that some political parties are ready to replace their apparent proxy bets with their real candidates.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III said the “extension” to file certificates of candidacy (COC) was a prerogative given to political parties under the law as one of their advantages over independent candidates.

“However, that period was given for serious contingencies (which may not have been foreseen or which, though foreseen, happened anyway) and was not meant to be part of strategies and tactics,” Pimentel told reporters in a text message.

He said there would be abuse if the substitution was “intentionally done” by political parties after they have fielded “fake candidates.”

“A fake candidate is necessarily a nuisance candidate,” Pimentel said. Pimentel heads one of two factions of the PDP-Laban that has Sen. Manny Pacquiao as its standard bearer.

The other faction is chaired by President Duterte who has his former police chief Sen. Ronald dela Rosa as presidential candidate, and his former longtime aide, Sen. Bong Go, as the vice presidential bet.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III was more worried about the third option for a candidate to withdraw from the race. “That (withdrawing candidacy) is what is being abused. We should amend that and remove it completely. If you are not ready and unprepared, why are you running for public office?” Sotto said.

Dela Rosa, who is widely seen as a placeholder possibly for Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and has admitted to being the “last option” of the Duterte-led faction, reiterated yesterday that he would immediately withdraw from the race if the presidential daughter changes her mind and decides to run for president.

He said candidate substitution was perfectly legal. “I’m not hurt being called a placeholder or caretaker of a position. As I’ve said, I’m running both as a principal and supernumerary,” Dela Rosa told CNN Philippines.

He said he is also ready to do the same if in the event of candidate substitution and switching process, it will be Go who will run for president and Duterte – changing his mind – will run for vice president.

He said a Go-Duterte tandem would be “formidable” and “good for the party.” That faction nominated Go as presidential candidate and Duterte as vice presidential candidate. Go, however, declined and Duterte did not pursue his vice presidential bid. Go eventually filed his COC for vice president.

Lakas-CMD also fielded a certain Anna Capella Velasco as its presidential candidate and a certain Lyle Fernando Uy as its vice presidential bet.

House Deputy Speaker and Lakas-CMD secretary general Prospero Pichay told ANC on Monday that the party does not have a standard bearer and might “adopt” a presidential candidate on or Nov. 15, apparently also wooing Duterte-Carpio to the party.