SUPPORTERS of President Rodrigo Dueterte and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio held a prayer vigil and novena mass at the Sta. Rita de Cascia Parish church on Sunday, September 26, urging the presidential daughter to run for president in the May 2022 elections.
National Secretary General Joseph Ponce of Ituloy ang Pagbabago Movement (IPM) said the nine-day nationwide novena’s intention will include the prayers for discernment of Duterte-Carpio and her father, safety for all frontliners and a peaceful filing of certificates of candidacy.
“Nandito po kami sa Sta. Rita Parish Church. Ito na po ang aming ika-apat na novena mass ng ating sinusulong na sana po si Mayor Sara na po ang tumakbo bilang pangulo po ng ating bansang Pilipinas. Kami po ay nananalangin ngayon sa atin Maykapal na sana maging mapayapa at tahimik ang pag file ng mga candidacy sa ating darating na eleksyon 2022. Pinapanalangin din po naming ang mga frontliners sa buong bansa na patnubayan po ng ating Dios at ang pagkakaisa na desisyon ng ating pangulong Rodrigo ‘Roa’ Duterte at ang ating mahal na Mayor Inday Sara na sana po pagbigyan si Mayor Inday tumakbo bilang pangulo ng Pilipinas,” Ponce said.
Ponce said he believes that Duterte-Carpio is best suited to continue what President Duterte has started, because she has the heart, mind and will of a true leader.
The prayer vigil, which started on September 23, was already held in Manila, Paranaque, Davao, Cebu, Pangasinan and Pampanga. It will end on October 1, the first day of filing of certificate of candidacy (COC).
Sta. Rita Mayor Ferdinand Salalila said he hopes and prays that President Duterte will choose his daughter to run for the highest position in the country come May 2022 elections.
“Dalangin po namin na sana mapag-isa ang ating pangulo Duterte at si Mayora Inday Sara, na isa sa kanila ang tatakbo sa darating na eleksyon 2022. At kami po sa bayan ng Sta. Rita ay umaasa na sana si Inday Sara ay tumakbo po bilang president ng bansa. Maraming pong salamat,” Salalila said.
Duterte supporters who attended the prayer vigil and novena mass came from the provinces of Bataan, Zambales, Pampanga, Tarlac, Aurora, Nueva Ecija and Bulacan, all in Central Luzon.
Duterte-Carpio, in her Facebook post through the Mayor Inday Sara Duterte page, expressed her gratitude to the people behind the movement for organizing a nationwide novena, primarily for the country's frontliners. She also thanked them and the other movement for their endless support.
"Hindi ko man lahat mabanggit isa-isa ang mga pangalan ninyo, ang mahalaga nasa puso nating lahat ang kalagayan ng mga frontliners. Salamat din po sa walang sawa ninyong suporta," the mayor said.
The presidential daughter already said she will not be running for any higher position 2022, following her father's decision to run for vice-president after being endorsed by the PDP-Laban Party (Cusi group).
Duterte-Carpio also recently said she will be seeking re-election with the same position in the 2022 elections. Her supporters, however, continue to urge her to run for the presidency. (Chris Navarro)