MANILA, Philippines (Updated 2:20 p.m.) — Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte announced Tuesday that he has backed out from his reelection bid.
“I have filed my withdrawal as vice mayor candidate of Davao City,” Duterte said in a statement. “I am deeply grateful to the Dabawenyos for the support they have given me all this time. I have no other details to share at the moment.”
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The son of President Rodrigo Duterte said he is nominating Davao City 1st District Councilor and city council majority leader Melchor Quitain Jr. to run in his stead.
Quitain Jr.’s father is chief presidential legal counsel Jesus Melchor Quitain who previously served as officer-in-charge of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President.
Baste told local media there that he was prompted to withdraw his certificate of candidacy for vice mayor upon the advice of his sister, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.
Despite her statements saying that she will not run for president in the 2022 elections, all eyes are still on Duterte-Carpio if she will eventually withdraw her bid for reelection and instead substitute for someone who filed their candidacy for president.
Duterte-Carpio, who is the frontrunner in pre-election surveys, has until November 15 to make such a move.
Several presidential candidates, including Sen. Bato dela Rosa of the PDP-Laban faction backed by the president, have said that they are open to stepping aside in favor of Duterte’s daughter should she gun for Malacañang. — Xave Gregorio with reports from Chenny Sañano and Edith Regalado/The STAR