Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Tuesday announced that he is withdrawing from the presidential race in the upcoming May 2022 elections.
Go disclosed his decision in an interview with reporters during President Duterte’s commemoration of the 158th birth anniversary of Gat Andres Bonifacio at the Pinaglabanan Shrine in San Juan City on Nov. 30.
The senator initially filed his candidacy for vice president under the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) and later on withdrew and then ran for president under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS).
“In the past few days, I realized that my heart and my mind are contradicting my action. Talagang nagre-resist po ang aking katawan, puso at isipan. Tao lang po ako na nasasaktan at napapagod (My mind, heart and body is resisting. I am only human who gets hurt and tired),” Go said during the interview.
“Sa ngayon po yun ang mga rason ko (for now, that is my reason) that is why I am withdrawing from the race.
He also revealed that his own family are against his presidential bid: “Kaya naisip ko na siguro ay hindi ko pa po panahon sa ngayon (That’s why, I thought to myself, this is not yet the right time for me to run for president).”
Go also said he decided to back out of the presidential race to give President Duterte some leeway.
“Ayoko rin pong lalong maipit si Pangulong Duterte higit pa po sa tatay ang pagmamahal ko sa kanya. Matanda na po siya at marami na rin siyang naibigay para sa bayan, ayaw ko na pong dagdagan pa ang kanyang problema (I don’t want President Duterte to be caught in the middle because I regard him more than a father. He is already old and he has done so much for the country, I don’t want to add to his problems),” he pointed out.
“Nananatili akong tapat sa kanya at nangako akong sasamahan ko po siya habambuhay. Yun po ang pinangako ko sa kanya noon pa man (I will remain faithful to him and promise to be with him for the rest of my life. That is what I promised him even in the past),” the staunch Duterte ally stressed.
“Having said this i leave my fate to god and to filipino people as i bow to do my best everyday to serve selflessly and tirelessly. I am willing to make the supreme sacrifice for the good of our country and for the sake of unity among our supporters,” Go stressed.