Duterte: No plans of last-minute surprise candidacy for president

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte doused his supporters' hopes that he would show up in Manila on Friday to file a certificate of candidacy for president at the Comelec office in Intramuros.

Duterte faced members of the media in his city to indicate that there would be no surprises on the day of the deadline.

“I’m not into surprises. I’ve never done that in my entire life,” Duterte said.

He said he wasn't planning to travel to Manila on Friday — or any time soon.

Duterte indicated that his daughter Sara Duterte's Facebook post, showing a shaved head supposedly in support for a presidential run, should have been taken as a sarcasm.

The former Davao mayor Sara Duterte had said in her post that her father should run even without cash, even without a machinery and even if he's facing defeat.

Duterte said it was former President Fidel V. Ramos who first asked him to run for president in the presence of former presidential aides Paul Dominguez and Jesus Dureza.

"'Di sir. 'Di pwede. 'Di ko kaya," Duterte recalled telling Ramos.

A group of Duterte supporters gathered at the Comelec grounds in Manila on Thursday, expecting him to file his COC for president.

In earlier interviews, Duterte said that he would run for president if he showed up at the Comelec on October 15, Thursday.

Told on Thursday afternoon that representatives already filed Duterte's COC to run for city mayor, those in the crowd were in disbelief, thinking it was Sara who was running for mayor.

A top contender in presidential preference surveys over the past few months, Duterte is also a social media darling. News of his candidacy for mayor caused the hashtag #Dutertezoned to trend on Twitter.
 

Today, many hearts may have been broken. But tomorrow is another day and it'll get better. Tiwala lang. May pag-asa pa. #Dutertezoned

— Joyce Unabia (@ecyojix) October 15, 2015

Lets pray he will run on the next elections! In the meantime, lets move on and hope for the best. #Dutertezoned

— Amaya Bai (@AmayaBai) October 15, 2015

minsan kahit gaano mo ipaglaban yung nararamdaman mo, hindi mo sya mapipilit kung ayaw nya talaga. :( #Dutertezoned

— Thiti Mahayotaruk (@TheMakth) October 15, 2015

Dont expect too much because that too much will hurt you so much..???? #Dutertezoned

— Ina Mae Cago Basa (@inamaeako) October 15, 2015

He never said that he will run, Only people assumes that he will run. Though he's the only ideal one. #Dutertezoned

— ?Loi Jao 42galiza? (@4tugal) October 15, 2015

 —NB/JST, GMA News