Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Tuesday admitted that his family’s disapproval of his decision to join the presidential elections in the upcoming May 2022 was one of the factors why he decided to withdraw from the race.

Go said that he has already signified his intention to withdraw from the presidential race last week, and told his partymates in the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) and Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS) that he was having a hard time pushing through with his presidential campaign.

“Nagre-resist po ang aking pamilya, nag re resist po ang aking puso, nagre-resist po ang aking katawan at isipan sa pangangampanya bilang pangulo (My family is resisting, my heart is resisting, and my body and mind is resisting in campaigning for president),” Go said in an ambush interview.

“Napakahirap po na for five months nag re resist ang iyong katawan, hindi rin po ako makaka focus. Mas makakafocus ako sa pag se serbisyo sa inyo kung hindi po ako kandidato bilang pangulo (It’s hard to campaign in the last five months when your body is resisting, I cannot focus. I can focus more in serving the public if I am not a presidential candidate),” he also said.

“Decision ko po ito dahil decision ng pamilya. Sabi ko sa inyo, pag pamilya na po ang kumukontra sa mga gusto mong gawin sa buhay, napakabigat po. Kayo mismo kahit kayo mismo pag umuwi kayo ng bahay tapos kinokontra kayo ng iyong pamilya, mahihirapan din kayo. Maiintindihan nyo rin po (I decided to withdraw, because of my family. I’m telling you, if your own family is against what you wish to do in life, it feels heavy. You would know that when you go home and you find your own family against you, you’ll feel helpless. You will understand me later),” Go added.

In an earlier statement, Go lamented that the recent turn of events in Philippine politics shows how challenging it is to mount a nationwide and massive campaign.

“Yan ang resulta ng politika, dyan po dumi ng politika, dyan po ang init ng politika (that’s the result of politics, you can see how dirty politics is, how intense politics is here in the Philippines). Kaya nga sinabi (that’s why it is said that) if you cannot stand the heat, then get out of the kitchen,” he stated.

Earlier, Go disclosed his decision to withdraw from the presidential race, in an interview with reporters after President Duterte’s commemoration of the 158th birth anniversary of Gat Andres Bonifacio at the Pinaglabanan Shrine in San Juan City on Nov. 30.

Go 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 as a substitute candidate under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS).

His decision to withdraw from the vice presidential race was spurred after Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, the President’s daughter, announced her vice presidential bid under the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD).

Duterte-Carpio, later on, confirmed she is running in tandem with former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. who is gunning for the presidency under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP).