Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, also President Rodrigo Duterte’s long-time aide, on Saturday filed his certificate of candidacy for vice president in a surprise move on Day 2 of COC filing.
Go was accompanied by Duterte during when he formalized his vice presidential bid at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City, the venue for filing for national posts, at 3 p.m.
Go, however, rejected his nomination as the group’s standard-bearer, citing he would rather dedicate his time in helping his countrymen.
READ: Duterte top aide Go files COC for vice president
In a brief talk with reporters following the filing, the senator stated that he will be a “working vice president” should he win the national polls.
“I will be a working vice president. Hindi ako magiging spare tire o reserba lamang,” Go said.
He also expressed confidence that the chief executive will be his top “campaigner.”
“Dito pa rin si Pangulong Duterte bilang pangulo at number one campaigner. Walang iwanan sa laban na ito,” the former presidential aide was quoted as saying.
Duterte wished him good luck.
“I wish Sen. Bong Go good luck in his quest for the vice presidency,” he said.
Some Filipino online users also considered the move a “plot twist” from a supposed Go-Duterte tandem.
“PLOT TWIST,” one user said.
“Ready for the switcheroo,” another user wrote.
Duterte has been vocal in his intention to run for vice presidency, that is to supposedly shield himself from prosecution by the International Criminal Court.
“Sabi ng batas, na kung presidente ka, bise presidente ka, may immunity ka. Eh di tatakbo na lang akong bise presidente,” he said in a previous briefing.
READ: ‘I will not run, I will run’: Timeline of Rodrigo Duterte’s vice presidency prospect
Last June, ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda requested a green light in their probe into the administration’s bloody drug war, citing possible crime against humanity of murder.
READ: Duterte’s VP bid might be to ‘untangle’ self from ICC probe, PDP-Laban official says
After Go filed his COC, Duterte announced his retirement from politics. He also made the same announcement in 2015, months before he decided to run for presidency.
RELATED: Duterte says he is retiring from politics