PRESIDENTIAL daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio told her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, and Senator Christopher "Bong" Go to own up their decision to run as a tandem in the 2022 presidential elections.
Duterte-Carpio said in a statement on Wednesday, August 25, that Duterte has confirmed that he will run for vice-president, while Go, his long-time aide, will run for president.
"It was not a pleasant event. I was left with two letters endorsed to me by the President for consideration -- one note explained why I should endorse the Go-Duterte tandem and the other suggested that I take in Senator Go as my vice-president," Duterte-Carpio said.
She suggested both Duterte and Go to "own up publicly their decision to run as a tandem" and stop talking about her and make her the basis on their running.
"I respectfully advise them to stop talking about me and make me the reason for them running or not running," the mayor said.
She said, "If they can confirm it privately, then I do not see the reason why they cannot be candid about it to the public."
Duterte-Carpio also said that the tandem should "simply present" to the public their platforms and how they can help the country.
The mayor also apologized to her mother and his father’s ex-wife, Elizabeth Zimmerman, for her statement. She also asked the public to treat her statement as a "point of view of a politician and nothing else."
The mayor issued a statement a day after the President publicly confirmed that he will run for vice-president in next year's elections.
Earlier Tuesday, August 24, the Cusi faction of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) said Duterte had accepted the nomination for vice-president, which will be officially made when the party holds its national convention on September 8.
The party did not name its presidential bet but Go earlier said he will run for president only if Duterte agrees to be his vice-president.
But it was reported by several news outfits that Duterte said he and Go will not pursue their plans if his daughter decides to run for president.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. confirmed that Duterte made this statement in a recorded Talk to the People address, but this was edited out of the video.
According to Roque, Duterte said he and Go will “give way” if Sara eventually decides to seek the presidency.
The President had previously been vocal in his opposition to Duterte-Carpio's candidacy for the higher position.
Duterte-Carpio had been leading in various presidential surveys for the 2022 National Elections. (With reports from SunStar Philippines)