Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque sounds hopeful again that Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio might change her mind and run for president next year.
This was apparent during the virtual press conference Tuesday, Oct. 19, when Roque was asked whether or not he would vie for a Senate seat in the May 2022 elections.
"Hindi ko pa po alam (I don't know yet)," he said, despite sounding resigned to his fate last week that he would no longer run for his dream position.
"Unang-una po, umaasa pa rin tayo na gaya ng sinabi natin na nais natin na tumakbo kasama po si Mayor Sara. Yan po yung pinaka-importanteng konsiderasyon (First of all, I'm still hoping that, like what I've said, I would get to run along with Mayor Sara)," Roque said.
"So habang hindi pa po tapos ang substitution, marami pa rin pong umaasa (So for as long as the substitution period is not yet over, a lot of people are still hoping)," he noted.
"Alam ko po sinabi niya (Duterte-Carpio) hindi na talaga. Pero malay niyo naman po, magkaroon ng milagro (I know she said that she won't run for president. But who knows, a micrale might happen)," added the Palace official.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will allow those who filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) to be substituted until Nov. 15, 2021.
Some political observers have said that a way for the presidential daughter to join the Palace race is her potential substitution of Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa as Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) standard-bearer.
Her father, President Duterte chairs the party.
PDP-Laban had earlier named Roque as a guest candidate in its Senate slate. However, Roque had insisted for months that he would only run for senator if Duterte-Carpio runs for president.
Duterte-Carpio filed her COC for reelection as Davao mayor earlier this month. Roque didn't file a COC, but he may still substitute for a senatorial candidate.