Duterte: People refuse to accept the truth

MANILA, Philippines – Game over.

As the Commission on Elections was about to close its doors Friday afternoon for the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) for national posts, no Davao City mayor showed up in the final minutes.

Most, if not, all supporters of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte were left disappointed after their presidential candidate refused to gun for presidency—a scenario that should have been expected after Duterte reiterated his decision on Monday.

Duterte explained his side minutes after the COC filing fiesta and said that his supporters just refuse want to accept reality.

READ: Duterte a no-show on last day of candidacy filing

“Alam nila na nagsasabi ako ng totoo, ayaw lang nila tanggapin ang totoo,” Duterte said in his radio interview with dzMM.

Limited choices

Rodrigo explained that people ignored his earlier declarations of having no intention to seek for the country's top post because they are left with few choices this coming election.

Duterte mentioned the three top presidential candidates—Sen. Grace Poe, Vice President Jejomar Binay and former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II.

“Maybe hindi sila comfortable with Mar (Roxas), kay Grace naman with looming problem of being an American, tapos... si Binay, siguradong makukulong 'yan kasi may charges na sa [Sandiganbayan na] dadating, e ‘di standing alone si Mar,” said Duterte.

 “Ang tao walang choices. Kasi ‘yung isa baka ma-disqualify, ‘yung isa baka makulong, ‘yung isa baka-bakahan lang,” he added.

Duterte also said that his supporters might be skeptical and afraid that their votes might be wasted.

 “The problem is kay Grace sayang boto mo baka ma-disqualify. Si Binay baka makulong, makakakampanya pa ba? Ito namang si Mar Roxas baka sakali maisipan niya na madisiplina niya ang mga tao n'ya but it will be very costly.”

He also refused to endorse any of the three candidates he described as "kaibigan" for Roxas, "kakilala" for Binay and "newly acquired friend" for Poe.

In the end, Duterte told his supporters to just forget about him.

“I’m old, 70 years old na 'ko. ‘Yung lolo mo, tatay mo na 70-years-old, ‘yung sakit nila 'yun din ang sakit ko,” Duterte said. “Walang 70 years old dito sa Piliinas na okay.”