DAVAO City Vice Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte withdrew his candidacy for the same post in the 2022 elections and tapped Councilor Melchor Quitain Jr. as his substitute.
Duterte personally withdrew his certificate of candidacy (COC) on Tuesday morning, November 9, at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Magsaysay Park.
"I have filed my withdrawal as vice mayor candidate of Davao City. I hereby nominate Atty. Melchor Quitain Jr. as my substitute," Duterte said in a statement.
He added, "I am deeply grateful to the Dabawenyos for the support they have given me all this time."
The vice mayor did not provide further details as of Tuesday.
It would have been Duterte's second term considering he is unopposed in the 2022 local elections. He was elected in his first government position in 2019, when he ran unopposed.
On Tuesday afternoon, November 9, Duterte’s sister, incumbent Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, also withdrew her candidacy for mayor in next year’s elections and announced on Facebook that her brother, Baste, will run for mayor instead.
The withdrawal had sparked rumors that Duterte-Carpio might be running for a higher position, considering that the substitution of candidates will be allowed until November 15.
Similar situation happened when their father, then Davao City mayor now President Rodrigo Duterte, substituted Martin Diño as presidential candidate in the 2016 polls.
The mayor said earlier, though, that she will not be running for president amid clamors from her supporters.
Meanwhile, Quitain told SunStar Davao in a text message that he is aware of him being selected as a substitute candidate.
"But for the reasons, I personally do not know [smile emoji]," the councilor said.
In an interview with PTV Davao, he said he was told by the vice mayor's staff to go to the Comelec office.
"Niapas ko, wala nako nakaabot (I followed, but I wasn’t able to make it) on time. Nangutana ko didto, withdrawal [candidancy] ni (I asked what it was for, they responded that it is about the withdrawal of) vice mayor," he said.