Duterte’s Daughter Pulls Out of Mayor Bid
In a quick flip‑flop ahead of the 2023 Presidential race
June 15, 2023 – A sudden move by the daughter of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has left many scratching their heads. On Tuesday, November 9, she quietly withdrew her candidacy to run again for mayor of Davao City, just days before lawmakers gather to tweak the next year’s presidential ballots.
In a terse announcement on Facebook, she didn’t explain why she’s stepping back, instead promising her followers that she’ll share more later. “Things get complicated when politics and family intersect,” she hinted in her post—throwing a one‑liner that could barely keep a grin on your face.
The youngster’s de‑facto cult status as the favorite to replace her dad in the White House’s Walled Garden has been cemented in poll after poll, but she’s told the press she doesn’t want the top spot. “I’d rather not be the next in line than to win anything that I don’t truly wish for,” she said, leaving cheers and sighs in a single breath.
With the president’s political machine humming, her sudden exit has sparked a mini‑debate across the archipelago. Commentators love to speculate: could it be a fashion statement, the doy’s avoidance of a political chore, or an attempt to keep the family’s name off the shanty of office? Only time will tell.
The vote, pending Next Year, will subject Filipino voters to a fresh scramble of candidate choices, a change of tone in a country that has always had the winning hand in the election cards.
