The camp of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte has confirmed that the presidential first daughter will indeed run in next year’s election, but not as a presidential candidate, at least for now.
Duterte’s spokesperson, Liloan City Mayor Christina Garcia-Frasco made this confirmation to media Thursday, September 16.
"Yes, this is confirmed. According to Mayor Sara, she will run for reelection as Davao City Mayor," said Frasco in a text message.
Frasco, who is the daughter of Sara’s known political ally and Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia, also said Sebastian “Baste” Duterte will seek another term as the city’s vice mayor.
Recently, Duterte released a video statement thanking all her supporters for expressing their willingness to support the Mayor’s supposed aim at the presidency.
Ito ay isang karangalan na hindi nabibili at hindi ibinibigay sa lahat ng pulitiko at hindi ko kakalimutan ang ginagawa ninyo para sa akin,” said Duterte in a video message via her Facebook Page “Sana ay ituloy natin ang pagtulong sa ating mga kababayan kahit para sa kandidatura o sa eleksyon.”
What was apparently clear though in that video was Sara’s appeal to Filipinos to back her father’s political plans in 2022.
“Mayroon kaming maayos na kasunduan ni Pangulong Duterte sa aming kani-kaniyang karera sa pulitika. Ibigay po natin sa kaniya ang pinakamalakas natin na suporta sa kaniyang desisyon na tumakbong vice president,” said Sara.
But leaders of the citizens group Hugpong Para kay Sara (HPS) on Thursday, Sept. 16 revealed that they will use the remaining days prior to the filing of certificate of candidacy in October to convince President Duterte to give up his plan to run for vice president.
With Speaker Lord Allan Velasco as its president emeritus, the HPS believes that with Duterte out of the race for a national post, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte might decide to declare her bid to seek the presidency in 2022.
This, for the meantime, sounds like a pipedream at the moment.