Malacañang on Monday urged those who doubted the announcement of President Rodrigo Duterte that he is already retiring from politics to wait until the deadline of candidacy substitutions to find out whether or not he will keep his word.
Political analysts have earlier raised skepticism over Duterte’s pronouncement, noting he may still change his mind as in 2015 when he joined the presidential race at the last minute.
Prior to the 2016 national elections, Duterte said he would not run for president but later replaced Martin Diño as the standard-bearer of the PDP-Laban.
“If there are doubts, let’s just wait for Oct. 8 to find out the President’s plans. If there are still doubts by then, let’s just wait until Nov. 15 because that is the deadline for substitutions,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said.
“I can no longer give any further assurance to those who are really doubtful,” he added.
Asked if Duterte had plans to run as a substitute for Senator Christopher Go, who filed his COC for vice president, Roque said he is not in a position to predict the President’s future plans.
“I don’t know what could happen but as of now he has made a decision – Senator Bong Go will be the candidate for vice president,” he said.
“The President said he is retiring. Let’s leave it at that,” Roque added.