President Duterte is not running for senator in the 2022 elections because he is evading his case before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, his acting spokesman, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, said on Tuesday, Nov. 16.
Nograles took over the post from former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who also filed his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for senator on Monday, Nov. 15.
“Ang pagtakbo po ni Pangulong Duterte as senator ay dahil gusto po niyang magpatuloy ng kanyang serbisyo sa taumbayan (The decision of President Duterte to run as senator is because he wants to continue his service to the people),” Nograles said, adding that this is the only way the President can continue to serve since his term is about to end.
“Wala pong pag-e-evade ng prosecution ito at lahat ng mga batikos na narinig po natin ay wala pong katotohanan ang lahat ng akusasyon na ‘yan (There is no need to evade prosecution because all of the accusations are not true),” Nograles added.
READ: Duterte unfazed by ICC move to pursue probe on drug war
Duterte and his allies, former top cop Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, are facing cases of crimes against humanity because of their bloody anti-drug war that started shortly after the ex-Davao City mayor took power in 2016.
In September, the ICC formally opened investigations into thousands of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in the country related to the drug war.
The Chief Executive earlier revealed that Dela Rosa, who won as senator in the 2019 midterm elections, is worried about the ICC case.
Nograles said that the public can see the changes brought about by the President, adding that he hopes they can continue supporting him.
READ: Duterte to run for senator in May 2022 polls
“At the end of the day po, nasa taumbayan ‘yan. Lahat ng mga paratang, mga akusasyon narinig po natin mula sa mga nagsasalita na ‘yan (it’s with the people. All the accusations that we hear, all those who are talking. At the end of the day po, taumbayan na lang ang humusga (may the people be the judge),” he added.
The President filed his COC for senator even after saying that he will retire from politics.
“Ako po’y naniniwala na magiging malaki ang kontribusyon ni Pangulong Duterte sa Senado (I believe that President Duterte will have a huge contribution in the Senate),” Nograles said.
Duterte’s decision to run for senator came after his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, reportedly did not heed his call to become a member of the ruling party PDP-Laban and run for president with Senator Bong Go, his long-time aide and close friend.
Instead, Duterte-Carpio is running under former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo’s Lakas-CMD with former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as her possible tandem partner in a coalition.