Former President Rodrigo Duterte cancelled his certificate of candidacy (COC) for Davao City mayor and instead registered to join the 2025 senatorial race.
A report from DZRH radio said Duterte, who has been faring well in the pre-election surveys for senator, would be returning to national politics in next year’s elections. He withdrew his COC for Davao City mayor, which he filed yesterday October 7.
Manila Standard verified the information through the satellite office of Comelec in Davao City, which said that Duterte’s COC for mayor was not yet withdrawn as of this posting.
Duterte will reportedly file his COC for senator at the Manila Hotel City Tent, where the Commission on Elections (Comelec) set up a temporary office to accommodate a number of aspiring politicians expected to submit their candidacies on the last day of registration period.
Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco also told reporters that the former president has not yet withdrawn his COC for Davao City mayor amid reports that he would be running for senator.
As of 5:00 PM, Duterte did not show up at the Comelec office in either Davao City or Manila to change the status of COC. This means he remains in contention for the 2025 mayoralty post in Davao City.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated.
