DAVAO CITY - Is Mayor Sara Duterte finally running for a national position in 2022?
A video of Mayor Sara Duterte crying as she hugged a Davao City Hall worker went viral yesterday after she dropped her bid for Davao City mayor Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 9.
The worker, identified as Elvielyn Restauro, 28, works at the City Planning and Development Office.
In an interview with The Manila Bulletin, Restauro said they were waiting for Duterte outside the City Hall Tuesday afternoon to take selfies with her, a habit, she said, whenever the mayor reports to the City Hall.
"Na-excite na mi kay nag-withdraw na sya sa candidacy, nagapamasin mi na makaselfie sa iyaha (We were excited because she already withdrew her candidacy (for mayor), we were hoping to take selfies with her)," Restauro said.
Restauro said it was not captured on the video, but the city mayor told them to support Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte.
"Wala sa video Maam nakuha, bale bago mi nagpapicture kay Mayor, nag-ingon lang sya sa amoa, suportahan daw namo si Vice Mayor Baste as Mayor (It was not captured on the video, but before we took selfies, she asked us to support Vice Mayor Baste as Mayor)," she said.
Restauro said she can be heard screaming in the video in excitement thinking "murag mao na gyud ni (maybe this is it)." Restauro said.
She said the mayor shared that she has no plan to run for president and that she would rather serve as city mayor.
In another video posted by Restauro, Duterte can be heard saying that she still has another term left to serve as city mayor.
At the end of the video, she told the city hall workers "tan-awon lang nato (we'll see)."
Restauro said the city mayor was about to board the vehicle when she shouted "mingawon mi sa imoha mayor (We will miss you mayor)."
"Bale palakaw na si Mayor pasakay sya sakyanan. Nisinggit na ko ato na mingawon mi sa imoha mayor nibalik sya mao to nag-hug mi (She was about to board the vehicle. I shouted that we will miss her and she came back and we hugged each other)," she said.
"Pagbuhi nya sa akoa, ngano daw nihilak mi (Then she asked me why were we crying)," Restauro added.
The scene was captured on video by Restauro's officemate, Chan Refuerzo. The viral video has at least 8,000 shares as of 10 a.m. Wednesday.
She said it was the first time that they saw the mayor cry in front of them.
"First time namo sya kagahapon nakita na nihilak. Sa four years nako sa City Hall first time namo sya nakita na nihilak sa among atubangan (It was the first time we saw her cry. In my four years working at the City Hall, it was the first time we saw her cry in front of us)," she added.
Prior to Mayor Sara's withdrawal of her candidacy as mayor, her younger brother Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte withdrew his candidacy for reelection.
In his official statement, the incumbent vice mayor said that he has filed his withdrawal as vice mayoralty candidate of Davao City.. He nominated incumbent councilor Melchor Quitain Jr. as his substitute.