(UPDATED) DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio joined the political party Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) Thursday evening, November 11, 2021.
This came hours after she formally resigned from Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), the regional party she co-founded in 2018.
“Tonight, I formally became a member of Lakas-CMD,” she said on her official Facebook page.
Duterte-Carpio took oath as member of the national political party before Lakas-CMD president House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez.
Also present during the oath-taking, which happened at the Revilla Farm in Silang, Cavite around 6 p.m. Thursday, was Lakas-CMD chairman Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., who was earlier eyed as the party’s standard bearer.
Duterte-Carpio’s move further fueled speculations that she will be running for a national position. As of 7 p.m. Thursday, however, she has not made any confirmation yet on her political plans.
READ: PDP-Laban Cusi faction watching Duterte-Carpio ‘with keen interest’
Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez said Wednesday, November 10, that Duterte-Carpio needs to join a national political party to be able to substitute either as candidate for vice president or president for the 2022 elections.
On October 8, Anna Capella Velasco and Lyle Fernando Uy filed certificates of candidacy for president and vice president, respectively, under Lakas-CMD.
But Deputy Speaker Prospero Pichay admitted earlier that the two candidates were just "placeholders," as the party has yet to decide who to field as standard bearer.
Lakas-CMD is the political party of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The filing of substitution is until November 15, 2021.
Meanwhile, presidential aspirant Senator Bato dela Rosa said in an ambush interview with PTV that he will withdraw his certificate of candidacy if Duterte-Carpio will choose to run for presidency.
“Yes, ayaw kong makalaban siya (I don’t want to compete with her)... Aalis ako. Wi-withdraw ako (I will leave, and withdraw) [from the presidential race],” Dela Rosa said in an interview Thursday afternoon in Balesin.
When asked whether the mayor will decide to run for the highest position, he responded “most likely.”
Vice presidential aspirant Senator Bong Go also bared there may be changes in his plans for the 2022 elections.
Go turned emotional on Tuesday afternoon, November 9, when he revealed there may be changes in his plans for the upcoming elections due to the wishes of President Rodrigo Duterte.
"Itong kandidatura ko bilang bise presidente ay maaaring magbago. Gustuhin ko man magsilbi sa inyo bilang bise presidente, pero sa kagustuhan ng ating mahal na Pangulo, kailangan ko pong umiwas (My candidacy as vice president might change. Even though I want to serve as your vice president, because of the wishes of our President, I need to step aside)," he said in an event in Antipolo City.
Go also said the changes will unravel in the coming days.
Dela Rosa and Go are currently the standard bearers of the Cusi faction of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).