Sara Duterte-Carpio not running for national position

DAVAO. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. (File photo)
DAVAO. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. (File photo)

PRESIDENTIAL daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is firm about not running for the national position following the decision that only one Duterte would run for the 2022 elections.

Based on the transcript of her interview forwarded by the Davao City Information Office to the media on Thursday, September 9, the mayor said this is in relation to the decision of her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, to run for vice president.

"Yes, I am not running for a national position as we both agreed only one of us will run for a national position in 2022," Duterte-Carpio said.

She said this does not affect any of her plans as it was both agreed by them that only one from the family will run for a national position.

The President on Wednesday, September 8, 2021, formally accepted his nomination as the vice presidential bet of the PDP-Laban faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

Duterte, the PDP-Laban Cusi faction chairman, said he accepted the nomination because of his love for the country.

The party has yet to announce their standard bearer although they earlier nominated Duterte’s former long-time aide, Senator Christopher Go.

When asked for reaction regarding her father's nomination, the mayor said, "I think it turned out the way the Cusi Faction wanted it to go down."

In terms of Go's position in the party's nomination, she said: "From the last time PRRD [President Rodrigo Roa Duterte] and I talked this was their Plan A. The Plan B was for SBG [Senator Bong Go] to run as VP [vice president].”

Go had previously announced that he is not interested in running for any higher position as he is focused on his senatorial duties.

Meanwhile, the mayor declined to comment on the party's senate slate.

Included in the group’s senatorial slate are Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, former presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade and Leyte Representative Lucy Torres-Gomez.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr., Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) chairman Grego Belgica and House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta will be their guest candidates.

When asked if she will help the PDP-Laban the way her political party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), helped in the 2019 senatorial elections, the mayor responded, "No. I will not share my light this time."

Amid the recent political noise, Duterte-Carpio said her relationship with her father has not changed.

"The same as it was before. Our politics do not interfere with our familial relationship. Iba ang trabaho, iba ang pamilya. Walang personalan," she said.

Despite her decision not to run, the mayor said, "I am happy we are united in our desire to see a better Philippines in the future. I will be eternally thankful for your trust and confidence."

Davao Occidental Governor Claude Bautista, one of the members of Ituloy ang Pagbabago Movement, an advocacy group supporting Duterte-Carpio's political bid, said there is still more time before the elections.

"Layo pa kaayo ang election (Election is still far). Anything can happen. I always believe in God’s will!!! What is important is that she has the desire to serve the people and everything will follow. We believe in her leadership and I will always believe in her and I will always be her avid fan no matter what now and forever... [sic]," Bautista said in a statement.

SunStar Davao reached out to former Davao del Norte governor Anthony del Rosario, HNP secretary general, for comment on the mayor's statement, but he has not responded as of Thursday afternoon, September 9.

In a previous text message, Del Rosario said that the mayor is expected to decide on her political plans for 2022 in time for the filing of the certificate of candidacy. (With SunStar Philippines)

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