Duterte did not vote, says Bong Go

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte did not vote in the 2018 synchronized Barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elections on Monday, May 14.

This was confirmed by Special Assistant to the President Christopher "Bong" Go in a text message to Sun.Star Philippi nes.

"None," Duterte's special aide said, when asked if the President already cast his vote in his hometown Davao City.

Go, however, has yet to respond to the query as to why Duterte chose not to vote in the twin el ect i on s.

The Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School in Davao City had prepared a separate polling precinct and readied the historical armchair that Duterte used when he voted in the May 9, 2016 national elections.

Duterte's move not to vote in the twin elections was already expected, as he had repeatedly raised concerns that reelectionists and other aspirants with links to illegal drugs might win the elections.

He had claimed that 4 out of 10 village officials in the country are involved in illegal drugs.

The conduct of village and youth council elections were postponed twice, but pushed through this time after Congress failed to submit a measure seeking its further postponement.

The local elections were originally set for October 31, 2016, but were moved to October 23, 2017 after Duterte signed Republic Act (RA) 10923.

Duterte, through RA 10952, once again rescheduled the October 23, 2017 village and youth council elections to May 14, 2018.

Two weeks before the elections, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency released a list containing the names of 2017 village executives who allegedly have illegal drug connections.

Of the 207, 90 were village chairmen while the remaining 117 were village councilors.

On April 13, the firebrand President vehemently warned aspirants for the village positions that their lives may be jeopardized if they have links to illicit drugs.

"Other incumbent village captains, municipal mayors, and the city mayors get killed because they enter (the illegal trade of narcotics)," he earlier said.

"So this is why I can't guarantee, but (it's) just a warning to whoever want to run (for village positions), the same policy will apply to you. And the same strategy that I am adopting is good until the end of my term to the very last day," Duterte added.

Meanwhile, some Cabinet officials already cast their votes in their respective polling areas.

Go went to Buhangin Central School in Davao City to vote.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. cast his vote at White Plains village in Quezon City at around 11:30 a.m., while Communications Secretary Martin Andanar went to Pedro E. Diaz High School in Alabang village in Muntinlupa City at 12:45 p.m. to vote. (Ruth Abbey Gita/ SunStar Philippines)