Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go, Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte's handpicked successor, announced his withdrawal from the presidential run on Tuesday, leaving the administration without a candidate in next year's elections.
Go, Duterte's long-serving adviser, made the announcement Tuesday during a surprise interview on the sidelines of San Juan City's Bonifacio Day celebrations.
Go said he did not want Duterte to get caught in the crossfire leading up to the 2022 national elections. The senator, who is running for president with the support of the country's president, stated that his heart and mind have been at odds with his actions.
He claimed that his family is likewise opposed to his presidential bid.
Go's removal casts doubt on Duterte's election strategy. The 76-year-old leader is ineligible to run again.
During the chance interview, Go said from a prepared statement that "for the time being, I'm willing to make sacrifices for the country and President Duterte."
"My family also opposes it, so I reasoned that perhaps this is not my time yet. Only God knows the proper time," Go said in quotes by INQUIRER.net.
Allies of the President had previously stated that the senator's withdrawal from the race was imminent following a dinner at the Presidential Palace with Duterte.
According to analysts, Duterte wants to ensure that a friend succeeds him so that he may avoid legal prosecution at home or by the International Criminal Court, which has opened an inquiry into the thousands of deaths in his "war on drugs."
Duterte's daughter, Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, is vying for the mostly ceremonial deputy position alongside Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of the late Philippine dictator and namesake.
Marcos is facing three disqualification cases stemming from an almost 30-year-old tax evasion conviction.
Political observers said Go's resignation from the presidential election will certainly boost the Marcos-Duterte-Carpio ticket by uniting the Dutertes' voter base behind the 43-year-old mayor and maybe extending that support to Marcos.
"There is no longer any ambiguity regarding administrative backing," said Aries Arugay, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines.
Go had hinted that he was considering abandoning his candidacy, stating that he was in a "state of shock" at the happenings leading up to 2022.
Go has consistently performed poorly in pre-election polls about voter preference for president and vice president. Even after withdrawing from the presidential campaign, Go will continue to serve as a national official until the conclusion of his senatorial term in 2025.
