Vice Mayor Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte has backed out from his reelection bid in next year’s election. The Davao City vice mayor went to the district office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) here to officially inform the poll body. It was not known if he will run for another position as of posting time but told some members of the media to wait “for further instructions”.
“I have filed my withdrawal as vice mayor candidate of Davao City,” said the younger Duterte in a statement to media on Tuesday. He said he nominated Melchor Quitain Jr. as his substitute. “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,” he added.
In a brief conversation with reporters, Duterte said instructions from his sister, Mayor Sara Duterte, prompted his decision. “That’s her instruction to me, then I am waiting for further instructions. So for now, that is the only information I have because that is what they have instructed me to do as of now. But I guess, whatever this is, let’s hope and let’s be positive that Sara’s decision that I withdraw is good, and that something good might come out of it,” Baste said in the interview, speaking in the local language. He also said that he does not know yet about his plans for the 2022 national elections.
Sebastian’s withdrawal only adds fuel to long-running speculations that his sister, Sara, would be seeking a national post in 2022 despite having filed her reelection bid. Sara had led early presidential preference surveys but has insisted that she would not be running for president, especially not as the ruling PDP-Laban’s standard bearer. Sara had earlier met with at least two presidential aspirants after the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacies in 2022 – former senator Bongbong Marcos Jr in Cebu City and later, with Dela Rosa in Davao City. While Sara herself has remained mum on the details of the meetings, Dela Rosa has repeatedly expressed optimism that Sara would reconsider running for president.
Sara is seeking reelection as Davao City mayor, while their brother, Paolo, is also eyeing another term as the city’s first district representative in the House. The period of COC filing for the 2022 elections ended Oct. 8 but substitutions for those running under officially recognized political parties are allowed until Nov. 15. The official campaign period for local position candidates for the May 9, 2022 elections will begin on March 25, 2022.
