Even Presidential spokesman Harry Roque isn’t privy to the alleged strained relationship of President Duterte with his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.
The Palace official said during a virtual media briefing on Thursday, September 2, the media shouldn’t interfere in their relationship.
“Masyadong personal na po ang tanong. Hinahayaan ko na po ‘yung relasyon ng mag-ama (That question is too personal. I’m not minding their relationship). I don't think we should inquire into that,” Roque added.
What’s important, he noted, is that the public will know who will run for an elective position on October 8, the last day the Commission on Elections (Comelec) set for the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy (COC).
The start of the COC filing for elective posts is scheduled on October 1.
“Even as spokesperson, hindi ko pinanghihimasukan ang personal na relasyon ng mag-ama (I don’t interfere in their personal relationship),” Roque said.
Reports of the strained relationship between the two started when Duterte-Carpio asked her father in a statement not to drag her name into his party’s, PDP-Laban, confusion over who should run as president and vice president next year.
READ: Dutertes' political plans a 'family affair' not a zarzuela — Roque
That was after the Chief Executive said he will forego his plans of running as vice president if the Davao City mayor decides to run as president. He also publicly asked his daughter to take his former aide, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, to be her running mate if she wants to run as president.
But after Duterte-Carpio’s statement, therein came reports that their relationship is supposedly strained because the presidential daughter doesn’t see eye-to-eye with Go nor with her father’s partner, Honeylet Avancena, with whom Duterte has another daughter.
Duterte-Carpio was supposedly also irked by the fact that she couldn’t speak directly with her father and instead, have to make an appointment.
Go denied the allegations and said that he “loves” Duterte’s children as much as he does the President.
READ: Sara denies grudge with Bong Go: 'What matters is I see my father'
Speculations, then, continue as to whether or not Duterte-Carpio will take Go as her runningmate if she decides to run. She also earlier revealed that Go and Senator Win Gatchalian offered to run as her vice president.
This was to clarify Senator Imee Marcos’ name, whom Duterte said wants to be his daughter’s runningmate.