President Duterte admitted that he was kept in the dark about his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio's plans for the 2022 elections, saying he only learned about it the moment she filed her certificate of candidacy (COC) for vice president.
Duterte made the statement after the presidential daughter filed her COC for vice president under Lakas-CMD on Saturday, November 13.
In a YouTube interview with pro-Duterte vlogger Byron Cristobal, more known as Banat By, the President said he was not toying with the media when he said he did not know that his daughter had already filed her COC.
Duterte was referring to his encounter with the media on Saturday at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) where he was asked about his Carpio's political plans.
"Totoo na hindi ko talaga alam. Nalaman ko nung nag-file siya (It's true that I didn't know. I only learned about when she filed)," he confessed.
"I think kahapon ng umaga? May ano nga, media. Doon ko nalaman tatakbo siya ng vice president. Hindi ko alam (I think it was yesterday morning? There were media people and that's when I knew that she will run for vice president. I didn't know about it)," he added.
The President said he only knew that Mayor Duterte-Carpio asked for two COCs from Lakas-CMD-- one for president and one for vice president-- but did not know which one she would choose.
He added that it has been a long time since he talked with her.
"Hindi ko nga malaman kung anong nasa utak. Hindi nga kami nag-uusap, eh (I don't know what going in her mind. We don't even talk)," Duterte said.
"Hindi ko naman siya sinisisi kasi hindi naman kami nag-uusap. Yung desisyon nila ang ayaw ko na tatakbo siya (I'm not blaming her because we don't even talk. Their decision about her running is what I didn't like)," he added.
Why just VP?
Meanwhile, President Duterte wondered why Mayor Duterte-Carpio only settled for vice president when she was leading the surveys.
He raised his suspicion that presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. had something to do with his daughter's decision.
"I'm sure yung pagtakbo ni Sara desisyon nila Bongbong yun (I'm sure that Sara running is the decision of Bongbong's)," Duterte said.
"Kaya nagtataka ako, sabi ko siya ang number one sa survey, kung bakit siya pumayag na tatakbo lang bise. Siya yung mataas ang rating, eh (That's why I'm wondering. She's number one in the surveys so why did she agree to run for vice president only. She has high ratings)," he added.
"Bakit ka tatakbo ng bise presidente na alam mo mas lamang ka? Ika nga may view ka na in advance na malakas ka (Why would you run for vice president when you know that you have a lead? You already have a view in advance that you have a better shot)," he continued.
President Duterte has always opposed his daughter to run for higher office, saying he did not want her to go through what he experienced.