Sen. Bong Go drops presidential bid

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential aspirant and Senator Bong Go today announced his withdrawal from the presidential race, saying he came up with the decision after consulting his family and Pres. Duterte.

“Ayaw rin talaga ng aking pamilya kaya naisip ko na siguro ay hindi ko pa panahon sa ngayon. Diyos lang ang nakakaalam kung kailan ang tamang panahon. Ayaw ko ring maipit si Pangulong Duterte higit pa sa tatay ang pagmamahal ko sa kanya,” the Mindanao lawmaker told reporters in a brief interview.

“In the past few days, I realized that my heart and my mind are contradicting my actions. Talagang nagre-resist ang aking katawan, puso, at isipan. Tao lang po ako na nasasaktan at napapagod din,” he added.

“Sa ngayon, yun ang mga rason ko. That is why I am withdrawing from the race.”

Go was accompanying Pres. Duterte during the wreath laying ceremony at the Pinaglabanan Shrine in San Juan for the 158th birth anniversary of Gat Andres Bonifacio when he broke the news that saddened his supporters.

Go was running for the presidential seat with the support of no less than Duterte under the ruling PDP-Laban party.