“I AM here to campaign (for the candidacy) of Gov. Gwen Garcia.”
This was uttered by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio in her speech at Panphil Frasco Memorial Sports Complex yesterday in Liloan, Cebu.
Carpio went to Liloan to sign a sisterhood agreement with Mayor Christina Frasco, Garcia’s daughter.
However, in an ambush interview, Carpio clarified that she has no bet for Cebu governor yet. She said she supports the candidates of PDP-Laban, and both Garcia and her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, are members of the ruling party.
She said the Duterte family is grateful to the Garcias for their support of Duterte during the 2016 presidential election.
Carpio said when she visited the fifth district in 2016, she was welcomed by then Liloan mayor Duke Frasco, who is now a Cebu Port Authority commissioner, and his wife Christina. She was also welcomed by her aunt, Eleonor Duterte of Danao City.
Eleonor is running for mayor in Danao City against Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III. Eleonor’s son, Red Duterte, and Michael Villamor are running for a seat in the Provincial Board (PB) against Magpale’s son, PB Member Miguel Antonio, and PB Member Thaddeus Durano Sybico.
The presidential daughter pointed out that Liloan delivered the highest votes for her father in the fifth district during the election.
Carpio also endorsed Duke’s candidacy for congressman in the fifth district against Rep. Ramon “Red” Durano VI.
However, she also denied any alliance between her regional political party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP) and the fifth district’s Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya (Bakud) party.
“Wa may alliance ang Bakud ug ang HnP,” Carpio said.
She admitted that Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale visited her in Davao City. She said she asked Magpale if the politicians in Cebu could unite. When Magpale said no, Carpio said she told the latter to just run and let the people choose.
Carpio reiterated that she will support the candidates of the administration party, adding that she will not meddle in Cebu’s politics.
In the 2016 presidential election, Magpale and Nito Durano supported Grace Poe with Ace Durano as campaign manager. Gov. Hilario Davide III, who is now running for vice governor in tandem with Magpale, supported Mar Roxas.
Carpio said they are related to the Almendras clan by blood, while they are related to the Duranos by marriage. Magpale’s maiden name is Almendras.
Carpio said her grandfather Vicente was mayor of Danao City in the 1950s. He fled to Davao after he was ambushed.
Carpio also went to Mandaue City to forge an alliance with Mayor Luigi Quisumbing’s Hugpong Mandauehanon sa Pagbabago (HMP).
The partnership is expected to bring a windfall to Mandaue City in terms of projects.
Aside from the signing of the alliance agreement, members of HMP joined a mass oath taking of Carpio’s regional party Hugpong.
Quisumbing said his entire slate, including his running mate Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna and his candidates for the City Council for next year’s midterm elections, and representatives from the city’s 27 barangays participated in the mass oath taking.
Meanwhile, Garcia, in a separate interview, denied reports that the Court of Appeals denied her petition to dismiss the ombudsman order. What was denied, she said, was the petition for a temporary restraining order and not the main case. (with Fe Marie Dumaboc, correspondent)