‘May the best man win next year’

May the best man win, President Duterte declared yesterday, after aspirants started to file their Certificates of Candidacies for the 2019 midterm elections.

The President welcomed that more people were running for political office since it would give voters more choices in the upcoming polls.

"The more the better. Let the, at least there’s a wider choice for the people. Let the best man win," Duterte said.

The Commission on Elections has started accepting CoCs for the elections from aspiring national and local candidates last Thursday. The period of filing of CoCs will end on Oct. 17.

The President had earlier bared that six Cabinet members would likely resign and run for positions in the elections.

Among the poll aspirants are Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go, and Technical Education Skills and Development Authority chief Guiling Mamondiong.

Duterte said he has asked Teodoro Locsin Jr., the country's permanent representative to the United Nations, to become the next Foreign Affairs Secretary.

Locsin, a lawyer and a former lawmaker, has reportedly accepted the President's Cabinet offer.

Duterte said he would also assign Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo to be his temporary spokesperson.

He still wanted to talk to Roque to get his final decision on whether to stay in government or pursue his Senate bid.

The Chief Executive admitted that he was still looking for replacements for other Cabinet members running in the elections.

"Naghahanap ako. But you know my choices. It has nothing to do with politics. It has nothing to do na I want to ingratiate myself to the military. I don’t need that. I was elected by the people, not by the military," he said.