DAVAO CITY - Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio appealed to her supporters for patience as she again dismissed calls for her on Wednesday to run for president in 2022 National Elections.
Mayor Sara said in her Facebook page that she would rather finish her term as mayor of the Davao City before moving on to another position.
The presidential daughter had earlier filed her certificate of candidacy (COC) for re-election as Davao City mayor, implying that she is no longer interested in succeeding the post of her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, in 2022.
"Masakit din para sa aking damdamin na sana’y magpaubaya sa mga kaibigan na hindi ko maibigay ang gusto ninyo (It pains me not to be able to give my friends what they want)," Mayor Sara said.
"Gusto ko po sana tapusin muna ang huli kong termino sa Mayor bago ako manungkulan sa ibang position (I want to finish my last term as mayor before I serve in another position)," she adds.
It will be Mayor Sara's fourth term as the city mayor if she wins in the 2022 elections. She was elected to three terms, the first from 2010 to 2013, the second from 2016 to 2019, and the third from 2019 to 2022.
"Madami sa inyo ang nasasaktan, sumama ang loob at nawalan ng pag-asa pero puwede pa rin tayo magtulungan para sa ating bayan (I know many of you are sad and are losing hope following the decision I made, but we could still help each other for the good of our country)," Mayor Sara said.
She said that there is no need for a higher position for her to be able to help the general public, especially those in need of assistance. She added that everyone could lend a hand to anyone everyday.
Mayor Sara earlier expressed her disinterest in running for president in the 2022 elections, citing a deal she made with her father that only one of them would run for a national office.
President Duterte had announced that he would run for vice president but had a change of mind and opted to retire from the politics.
The president then accompanied Senator Christopher "Bong" Go who filed his COC for vice-president on October 2 at the Sofitel Hotel.