DAVAO CITY – Supporters of Davao City mayor Sara Duterte have been told to wait until the filing of certificate of candidacy from October 1 to 8 this year whether she will run for President in next year’s national elections.
“There is a deadline and that is October 8, so let’s wait for the filing of certificate of candidacy from October 1 to 8,” she told Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) on Monday.
She said that she would not wait for the last-minute substitution in December as did her father, President Rodrigo R. Duterte, in 2016 president elections, this option being unavailable to her because of her non-membership to any national political party.
Duterte, then mayor of Davao City, substituted Martin Diño as the standard bearer of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) after the latter withdrew his candidacy in October 2015.
Duterte appointed Diño as undersecretary of Department Interior and Local Government in 2018.
The president's daughter, who has been topping the possible presidential candidates, said earlier that she does not see a possible tandem with her father as vice president next year nor is she interested in gunning for the country’s highest position.
“We will not wait until December for substitution because it is not for me. I’m not a member of any national political party. I am only a member of Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), which is a regional political party. I think the questions of the people will be answered until the filing of candidacy,” she said.
The mayor is chair and co-founder of HNP.
She also thanked Former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, who returned to Davao City last Saturday to receive his second dose of Sinovac’s CoronaVac, for his “trust and confidence.”