MANILA — Months after repeatedly denying he would seek government's top job, then Davao mayor Rodrigo Duterte made a late entry in the 2016 presidential race as a substitute candidate, eventually winning with some 16 million votes.

As his 6-year term nears its end, Duterte again tapped the substitution route as he eyes a Senate seat.

Here is a timeline of the president's winding decision-making on which post to seek in the 2022 elections.

DUTERTE 'RESISTING' VP RUN
June 8, 2021

Duterte said he was "resisting" a push for him to run as the vice presidential bet of PDP-Laban. Some allies also urged his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to be his running-mate, which party president Sen. Manny Pacquiao opposed.

The PDP-Laban later split into rival factions headed by Duterte and Pacquiao.

DUTERTE THINKS BEING VP A 'GOOD IDEA'
June 16, 2021

About a week after saying he was "resisting" running for vice president, Duterte said seeking the post seemed a "good idea."

"Marami pang hindi ko nagawa," he said.

(I have many things still not done.)

But Duterte said he would not seek the post if House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, a political ally, wanted it.

DUTERTE ACCEPTS VP NOMINATION
Sept. 8, 2021

Duterte accepted his nomination as vice-presidential candidate of the PDP-Laban faction he supports, a week after the International Criminal Court said it would investigate his war on drugs and the killings in his hometown Davao City, where he was a mayor for 2 decades.

His long-time aide Sen. Christopher Go did not immediately accept his nomination to be Duterte's running-mate.

SARA SAYS NO TO NATIONAL POST
Sept. 9, 2021

The President's daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said she was "not running for a national position" because of her father's VP bid.

"We both agreed only one of us will run for a national position in 2022,” she said.

DUTERTE SAYS HE'S QUITTING POLITICS
Oct 2, 2021

Duterte announced he was "retiring from politics" and withdrew his nomination as vice-presidential candidate. Go filed a candidacy for the No. 2 job in Duterte's place.

The President later said his daughter would seek to be his successor, with Go as running-mate.

• Duterte: Daughter Sara to run for president with Bong Go as vice president

But Duterte-Carpio on the same day filed her certificate of candidacy for mayor.

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SARA SEEKS REELECTION
Oct. 6, 2021

The mayor told her supporters on Oct. 6, “Gusto ko po sana tapusin muna ang huli kong termino sa Mayor bago ako manungkulan sa ibang position."

(I want to finish my last term as Mayor before I serve in another position.)

“I am presenting myself to the Dabawenyos as mayor for the third and last time in my life as a politician," she said hours before the COC filing closed on Oct. 8.

• No last-minute filing? Sara reiterates she's not running for president

SARA DROPS OUT OF MAYORAL RACE
Nov. 9-10, 2021

Duterte-Carpio removed herself from the mayoral race in her home city. Her brother Sebastian Duterte withdrew his candidacy for vice mayor on her advice, and ran for mayor in her stead.

The next day, she resigned as chairwoman of the regional party she founded, Hugpong ng Pagbabago, and joined Romualdez and former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's party Lakas-CMD.

SARA GUNS FOR VICE PRESIDENCY, DAD FLOATS SHOWDOWN WITH DAUGHTER
Nov. 13-14, 2021

Duterte-Carpio on Nov. 13 registered as Lakas-CMD's substitute candidate for vice president. On the same day, Go filed his COC as the substitute standard-bearer of a different party, the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS).

In an interview made public the next day, Duterte said he might run for vice president to show his displeasure at his daughter's bid for the same post despite her lead in surveys for his preferred successor.

Duterte blamed the camp of presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for his daughter's decision. The President said he would support only the candidacy of Go.

DUTERTE STRAYS AWAY FROM COLLISION COURSE WITH SARA
Nov. 15, 2021

Less than half an hour before the deadline for national parties to switch their candidates, Duterte filed his COC for senator through a representative.

Like Go, Duterte is running under the PDDS.

The pair wanted to avoid possible legal complications if they ran under PDP-Laban with the poll body yet to resolve which of its rival factions is legitimate, said their ally Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.

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