Presidential Candidates
Jejomar Binay
When he was questioned by the media at the Coconut Palace in September 2011, Vice President Jejomar Binay (UNA) confirmed his plans to run for president.
By May 2014, Binay began his search for a running mate. As his potential running mate Senator Jinggoy Estrada in jail due to his implication in thePDAF scam, Binay's offers were declined by JV Ejercito, Manny Villar (via wife Cynthia Villar), Vilma Santos (via husband Ralph Recto),Mar Roxas, Grace Poe, Rodrigo Duterte and Joseph Estrada. Binay's daughter Abigail, also the Representative from Makati, said that Binay would accept anyone as his running mate except for Antonio Trillanes, and that she prefers Grace Poe, however Sen. Bongbong Marcoswas the most preferred by UNA officials to be his running mate. On June 12, Independence Day, speech in Iloilo, President Aquino said that he could only offer Binay the conduct of a clean and honest election, but not an outright endorsement.
On June 22, Binay resigned from the Aquino cabinet, both as presidential adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers' concerns and as chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, but did not say why. Two days later, Binay addressed the public from his Coconut Palace offices, branding the current administration as "manhid at palpak" (insensitive and bumbling), but did not mention Aquino by name. He also accused the administration of committing sins against him and the people. A photo of Vice President Jejomar Binay has been circulating in social networking sites, wherein he is seen avoiding the muddy ground of an open field by passing through a makeshift bridge while donning his boy scout uniform.
Miriam Defensor Santiago
In a press conference on July 2, 2014, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago (People's Reform Party) revealed she was suffering from Stage 4 lung cancer and she might run as president for the third time if it goes into remission. A Magsaysay Awardee, the Nobel Prize of Asia, and the Iron Lady of Asia, she was widely believed to have won the 1992 Philippine Presidential Elections, but lost after hours of blackout during the counting of votes. She once again run for president in 1998, but lost after black propaganda was used against her campaign. She then run for the Senate in the following elections and won with a landslide victory, becoming the most popular female senator and one of the most respected senators in Philippine history with the highest number of laws and bills authored and passed up to this day.
By November 2014, Santiago, in a tweet, announced that "In the 2016 presidential elections, when I am rid of my lung cancer, I intend to claim the presidency I won in 1992." In a letter to the Senate, Santiago said that more than 90% of the cancer cells have regressed.
Santiago announced her candidacy for president in the launch of her book Stupid is Forever on October 13, 2015. She will run under thePeople's Reform Party, the same party in which she ran under during her 1992 and 1998 presidential campaigns. Days later, Santiago announced that Senator Bongbong Marcos would be her vice presidential running mate. Her platform stands on the effective and efficient upholding and implementation of national and state-recognized international laws, enhancement of the agriculture industry with a focus on irrigation and farm-to-market roads, enhancing all seaports and airports in the country, creating at least one major government project in all provinces and all regions in the Philippines, building and highlighting the country's diplomatic affairs in the international level while skyrocketing the country's defense capabilities, and eradicating graft and corruption, which she believes to be the cause of poverty and inefficiency in the country.
Rodrigo "Rody" Duterte
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte reportedly enjoys the support of several netizens who laud his performance, especially on maintaining peace and order but he was quick to shrug off calls for him to run as President in February 2014, saying he is not qualified for higher public office. A year later, Duterte said on a Baguio federalism forum that he'll only run for president "if only to save the republic." Duterte cited the need of about 10 to 15 billion pesos as a campaign war chest that's keeping him from running. Days later, Duterte "re-entered" PDP-Laban; he maintained he never left the party, but had to stand in a local party banner in the 2013 local election to ensure victory. PDP-Laban president Aquilino Pimentel III later said that Duterte is among his party's options in nominating for the presidency, noting that the party's position on federalism coincides with Duterte's advocacy.
In September 2015, Duterte declined Miriam Defensor-Santiago's offer to be her running mate and said that instead of being the running mate to Senator Santiago, he wants Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. to be Santiago's running mate. In March 2015, Lakas–CMD national presidentFerdinand Martin Romualdez said that his party is preparing for the 2016 elections; Danilo Suarez also remarked that they are convincing Teodoro to go out of retirement to run anew. However, Santiago chose Bongbong Marcos as her running mate in October 2015. A few days after reports of Vice President Binay eyeing him as his running mate, Duterte issued a statement that he is planning to retire after his term as Davao City mayor ends, saying that "as I have said before, my daughter would be willing to run again. I will retire from this term from public life... I am old."
Duterte later said that he was considering suggestions from his friends and supporters to run for president during June 21, 2015 airing of his weekly program in a local channel. He also added that he will stop expressing non-interest in starting a presidential campaign.
Duterte said on a Baguio federalism forum that he'll only run for president "if only to save the republic." Duterte cited the need of about 10 to 15 billion pesos as a campaign war chest that's keeping him from running. Days later, Duterte "re-entered" PDP-Laban; he maintained he never left the party, but had to stand in a local party banner in the 2013 local election to ensure victory. PDP-Laban president Aquilino Pimentel III later said that Duterte is among his party's options in nominating for the presidency, noting that the party's position on federalism coincides with Duterte's advocacy.
However, at the ASIA CEO Forum in Makati held in June 25, Duterte said that he would not run for presidency and said that he never desired to do so. He said that his family including her daughter, Sara Duterte who also served mayor from 2010 to 2013, advised him against from running. He also said that he would retire from politics if his daughter would run as mayor of Davao City in 2016. About a month later, Duterte, responding to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima's statement that she would not run with him as a matter of principle, said that he would campaign against the Liberal Party if de Lima is drafted, calling her as "hypocritical", and principles as "rotten."
On August, while at a meeting with military officers, Duterte spoke with Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison. Duterte said that he told Sison that he would run for president if the CPP's armed wing, the New People's Army, abandons its over-40-year insurgency, saying "Armed struggle as a means to achieve change is passe in the modern world we are living in today,". Duterte disclosed that Sison was asking him of his plans for 2016, and told him that he didn't have plans yet. By early September, Duterte announced that he is "not running for president", saying that "I will retire from public life for good."
Duterte has made hints to the media of his possible intent to run for the presidency come 2016, with the promise of abolishing Congress altogether in favor of a parliament, if he ever wins. Though he does not score very well in opinion polls when compared to the likes of Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Grace Poe, and Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, experts have noted that this does little damage to his candidacy or qualifications. An online petition was run to encourage Duterte to run for Presidency in the next Philippine Election who gathers almost 1,800 signs around the globe with a goal of 5,000,000 online signatures. However, in March surveys done by Pulse Asia and theSocial Weather Stations (SWS), Duterte an undeclared candidate, zoomed to third place behind Senator Santiago and administration perceived presidential bet DILG Sec. Mar Roxas. Surveys in August 2015 show Duterte 2nd behind Senator Grace Poe whose residency and former U.S. citizenship are still discussed on mass and social media.
On September 7, 2015 in a press conference held at Davao City, Duterte officially declared he will not be running for presidential candidacy in 2016 and apologized to all of his supporters on the decision. He additionally stated that he might be retiring from politics after his term as Mayor of Davao City ends in 2016 due to age, health concerns and his family's objections. Mixed reactions erupted in social media hours after the declaration and several supporters still continue to petition online urging the mayor to revert his decision.
On September 26, 2015, a large number of supporters gathered at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Manila to urge Duterte to officially run for presidency in 2016. The gathering was dubbed 'The Million People March' by the media however, its followers prefer to call it the 'The People's Call'. Duterte was not present at the event and was at Zamboanga City to assist a kidnapping case of the three foreigners and a Filipina who were taken by armed men in a luxury resort in Samal Island happened on the Monday night that week. It was then reported that the (hashtag)#Duterte2016 tops on Twitter with 1,966,830 reach and 2,641,635 impressions during the rally. In a statement read by retired Armed Forces chief Hermogenes Esperon to the crowd at Quirino Grandstand, Duterte asked for more time to "do some final soul-searching" as per text message by Duterte himself. Since Duterte claimed that one of the primary reasons he declined for a presidential bid is due to lack of finances needed to bankroll a campaign, supporter Atty. Vitaliano Aguirre on the other hand reported that a group of businessmen has pledged P1 billion to fund Duterte's bid if ever Duterte would accept the offer. The offer was made by Benigno Gopez, who speaks for the group of anonymous businessmen, after the gathering of Duterte supporters at Quirino Grandstand on September 26. Despite being an undeclared candidate, Pulse Asia Research Director Ana Tabunda still considers Duterte "a serious contender" as he is already at the 4th rank in the presidential survey by Pulse Asia from late August to early September as well as in the last Social Weather Stations survey behind announced and declared candidates Grace Poe, Mar Roxas and Jejomar Binay. Duterte's long-time political rival and critic, former House Speaker Prospero Nograles, also expressed his support for Duterte if ever he decides to run for presidency. On September 29, incumbent Senator Alan Peter Cayetano declared his intention to run for the 2016 Vice-Presidential post in a press event held in Davao City and considers Duterte to be his first choice as running mate for the presidential post which eventually led to a meeting between the two parties. A day after meeting with the Cayetanos, Duterte met with another incumbent senator, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr., who also went to Davao City to personally talk to Duterte. Marcos is reportedly considering for the Vice-Presidential post as well but haven't made any formal proclamation yet. Similar to the Cayetano meeting, Duterte still declared that he is not running for president.
Davao City Mayor Duterte's political adviser Lito Banayo confirmed on October 10, 2015 that Duterte will run for presidency. However, in a statement released by Duterte's camp on the same day, it was clarified that the mayor has not made a decision on whether he would run in the presidential elections and that Banayo's "announcement" was just his own interpretation.
In a press conference last October 12, Duterte, officially declined his offer to run for President in the 2016 elections, he had no ambitious intentions to run for the higher office. He will consider for a re-election as Mayor of Davao City, if her daughter "Inday Sara" will run for Mayor, he will retire from local politics. Denial of his family was one of the reasons who didn't run. On October 13, 2015, in a press conference held at a local hotel in Davao City, Duterte finalized his decision not to run for presidency. In her Instagram post published on October 14, Sara, went shaved on her head and went became bald, possibly changes her mind on her father's decision to run for president. On October 15, Duterte, thru his executive assistant filed the COC as a re-electionist mayoralty candidate of Davao City, ending rumors that he will run for the presidency. On October 15, 2015, Duterte's authorized representative, Christopher "Bong" Go, filed Duterte's certificate of candidacy (COC) on his behalf at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Manila, for a re-election for the Davao City Mayoralty post instead. On the afternoon of October 16, the last day for filing of COC and a day after her father's submission for the same position, Duterte's daughter, Sara, posted on her Instagram account a photo of her COC, while hinting that her father would seek a higher post and withdraw his COC for Mayor re-election. However, in a radio interview with Bong Go, he stated that while Sara's COC was filled out, it was not received by the Comelec in Davao City. Hundreds of supporters were reportedly rallying outside the Comelec office expecting for Duterte to file his candidacy on the last day of submission before the cut-off at 5:00pm. Duterte’s possibility of substitution until December 10 was opened after Martin Diño, father of celebrity Liza Diño and chairman of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), filed his candidacy for president. Diño is a member of PDP-Laban, the same party where Duterte belongs. Martin Diño, who served as the chairman of Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and barangay captain of Brgy. San Antonio, Quezon City, filed his COC for president on the last day of the COC filing on October 16. Diño will run under the PDP-Laban party and he is one of the politicians advocating the federalism system. Diño clarified that there was a "clerical error" on his submitted COC (running for Pasay mayor, instead of president). On their general meeting held in Pasay City on October 26, members of PDP-Laban had officially expressed their support to Diño in his presidential bid. On October 21, Duterte told CNN Philippines' News.PH via phone patch interview that there was still a chance he would change his mind. The decision, however, would have to be made by the PDP-Laban.
On October 26, 2015, Duterte said on an interview that the deadline for his last decision if he will seek the presidency is on December 10. He also warned the people to abide the law if he wins. On October 27, PDP-Laban has made it official that Duterte will substitute as the party's presidential bet if aspirant Martin Diño withdraws or is disqualified by the Commission of Elections (Comelec) from the 2016 race. Two days later, PDP-Laban standard bearer Martin Diño officially withdrawn his presidential bid and named Duterte as his substitute because there’s a possibility that Diño might be declared as nuisance candidate by the COMELEC. On October 30, an alleged campaign video of Duterte and Cayetano circulated on social media that put hopes on Duterte's candidacy as Cayetano's running mate. However, Duterte's aide Bong Go said on an interview that Duterte's mind hasn't changed yet but will continue on soul-searching with his family to know if he's going to run in the upcoming elections. On November 1, Duterte said that nothing still hasn't changed and he isn't fit for national office. He also said that he is still waiting for an official communication from his party about his possible candidacy; Duterte will also wait if his daughter will agree to substitute for him at the mayoral race of Davao and he will retire from public service if Sara agreed to do so. On November 2, PPCRV executive Serrano said that Martin Diño is deemed to face an election sabotage complaint because of proposing Duterte as his substitute for him. On November 4, Diño denied the allegation of dealing and filing his certificate of candidacy just to pave way for Duterte and substitute for him. After criticizing the Aquino government, Duterte also said in an interview that the people just need to wait for the last possible day, "Look, December 10 is the deadline, why don’t you just wait for it? All you need to do is wait, just wait." Duterte said. Diño said that Duterte is set to meet with the PDP-Laban President who is Senator Koko Pimentel tomorrow or the other day to discuss about the issue and convince Duterte to run. He also said that they need to keep the party alive. Davao City is one of the World's Safest City.
Mar Roxas
Senate President Franklin Drilon, when describing the Liberal Party's plans for Interior Secretary Mar Roxas' in 2016, told the media on January 2013 that "so far as the LP is concerned, [and] in so far as I am concerned, we believe that he is best qualified for 2016." Two years later, Drilon told DZIQ AM radio that Roxas had expressed his interest internally within the party. Several Liberal Party stalwarts had by then expressed that Roxas should declare his intentions at that time, with some such as Budget Secretary Florencio Abad suggesting that Roxas may slide down to run for the vice presidency again.
Aquino had a series of meetings between Roxas, Grace Poe and Francis Escudero from prior to Aquino's state visit to Canada in May, until days before his final State of the Nation Address in July, including a July dinner with all three of them at the Bahay Pangarap, Aquino's official residence at the Malacañang Palace complex. While Roxas was seen as Aquino's choice to succeed him, another question was who would be Roxas' running mate, as Poe had earlier said that she'd rather run with Escudero as her running mate.
On July 31, 2015, at an event dubbed as "A Gathering of Friends", Roxas formally accepted the Liberal Party's nomination after he was officially endorsed by President Benigno Aquino III in the presence of their political allies at the Club Filipino, San Juan, where Roxas had announced his decision to withdraw from the 2010 presidential election and give way to Aquino's presidential bid. Aquino also announced his candidacy there on September 9, 2009.
Grace Poe
Grace Poe's surprising first-place finish in the 2013 Senate election as an independent made her a likely contender for the presidency but she dismissed any plans of running in April 2014, saying she was not considering "anything higher at this point."
On President Aquino's state visit to Canada in May 2015, the president disclosed that he had met with Poe prior to the trip, although he didn't say on what the meeting was for. A couple of days later, Poe confirmed that she did meet with Aquino. Poe said that "We discussed his intention to choose a candidate who, first and foremost, has the trust of the nation, and, secondly, has the potential to win in the election, in order to sustain the reforms especially against corruption and the pro-poor programs of the government." Poe expects more meetings with Aquino in June.
On June 2, UNA interim president Toby Tiangco, responding to calls for Jejomar Binay to "come clean" on his corruption allegations, said in a press conference that Poe is not qualified to run either for president or vice president after citing her certificate of candidacy in the 2013 Senate election which stated that she is a resident for six years and six months; adding three years for the 2016 election, nine years and six months or six months short mandated by the constitution. Two days later, before a Senate session, Poe said that she wrote "six years and six months" because it was in April 2006 that her home in the United States was sold. Poe, who had been a resident of the United States for 13 years, returned to the Philippines after her father Fernando Poe, Jr. died on December 2004. She said that she a proof that she had been living in the Philippines since February 2005. She said, that despite being a congressman for Navotas, Tiangco lives elsewhere, and that her decision on whether to run in 2016 is "50%" sure. Poe also observed that the attacks from UNA only began after she signed the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee report recommending plunder and graft cases against Binay.
On September 16, at a gathering at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, Poe announced her intention to seek the presidency, saying that "No one person or group has a monopoly on a straight path advocacy" of President Aquino, a shot against Aquino's party's nominee Roxas, who is advocating for continuation of the "Daang Matuwid" (straight path) advocacy of Aquino; while also hitting the Administration programs. This resulted in the Palace to question their Daang Matuwid advocacy are contrary to their speeches.
On December 1, the COMELEC's second division had formally disqualified Poe from running as President in the 2016 elections and cancelled her filed Certificate of Candidacy for not failing to meet with citizenship and residency requirements. The division, was voted 3-0, in favor of the petition filed by Atty. Estrella Elamparo to disqualify Poe. The decision stated that Poe had failed to comply with the 10-year residency requiremement, mandatory for a presidential candidate.