Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, a long-time aide to President Rodrigo Duterte, has filed his certificate of candidacy for vice president in the 2022 elections.
Go, who had previously declined the PDP-Laban endorsement as the ruling party’s presidential candidate, formally declared his candidacy for vice president on October 2, the second day of filing.
The PDP-Laban faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi nominated Go and Duterte for the 2022 presidential elections in early September.
Go declined the nomination at the time, stating that he wanted to devote his time to fighting the pandemic. He is the chairman of the Senate’s sports and health committees.
In the most recent Pulse Asia poll, Go received only 3% of the vote, with only 3% of respondents saying they would vote for him.
In 2019, he was elected senator in a race won by Duterte’s supporters.
Go has been Duterte’s aide since 1998, when the former Davao City mayor was a congressman.
Despite being a lawmaker, Go accompanies the CEO to most events and meetings of the pandemic task force.