Sara yet to confirm if she will run as mayor or congressman

DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio confirmed that she will either run as mayor or as congressman next election.

She said Hugpong Ng Pagababago (HNP) is in no way a preparation for her run for presidency since the HNP covers only Davao Region.

During her keynote speech at the 50th Annual Installation of Officer and Board of Trustees of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) in January, Duterte-Carpio sought the support of businessmen for her plan to seek another term as Davao City mayor, saying that two of her ten focus programs cannot be completed by 2019 -- the High-Priority Bus System (HPBS) and the Farm to Market Road System.

"I would like to see that these will be put in place before I step down as city mayor," she said.

However, Duterte-Carpio, during that time, did not express any plans of running for a national position.

"If the option is just to run for a national position I would like to return to my private practice as a lawyer. I do not want to go to Manila and work in Manila. I want to work and live here in Davao City," she said back then.

Hugpong Ng Pagababago

Duterte-Carpio, who also sits as the HNP chairperson, said the regional party is yet to decide the direction of the group in terms of Federalism, which is the main thrust of President Rodrigo Duterte.

On Friday, around 500 local officials, from governors down to councilors, gathered for the first assembly.

Officials of HNP expressed their aim to make Davao region as HNP region.

Around 500 local government officials, board members down to councilors from four provinces of the city attended the first HNP general assembly led by Duterte-Carpio, HNP Davao Occidental Governor Claude P. Bautista as President, Davao Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang as Vice President, Davao del Norte Governor Anthony Del Rosario as Secretary General, Compostela Valley Governor Tyron L. Uy as Treasurer.

During the press conference prior to the assembly, Duterte-Carpio said that membership to HNP will not be in conflict with the local organized parties.

"When we run we will run under HNP, if there are local parties they will run under HNP," she said.

Despite the fact that the HNP will be regional party and its membership will not violate membership of other national parties, Uy and Dayanghirang admitted that they already left their national parties, Partido-Demokratiko Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) and Liberal Party, respectively.

"I resigned because we agreed that in the next elections we will run under HNP as a regional political party, this move is to focus more in all our programs in Davao Region," Uy said.

"I was from Liberal Party but nagpaalam na po ako, I am now with HNP," Dayanghirang said.

Bautista said that he is a under NPC but upon filing of candidacy he said that he will be considered resigned.

Del Rosario had long been resigned from Liberal Party since November 2017.

Duterte-Carpio said she is not affiliated with any national party.

Meanwhile, Duterte-Carpio explained that they tried to reach Davao Del Sur Governor Douglas Cagas, who was invited in the meeting for the party's formation but was absent.

She said that the governor actually responded and asked why they will meet.

"Sinabihan ko na lang yung tao na nag-contact sa kanya na do not pursue it anymore with the Davao del Sur, gawin nalang muna natin ang party and we will deal with Davao del Sur later, since we already have majority of provinces for the region," she said.

Duterte-Carpio said the formation of HNP was formed with the blessing of President.

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph