Vice presidential aspirant and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Sunday, Nov. 14 counseled supporters to ignore the on-going issues affecting her PDP-Laban, President Rodrigo Duterte’s political party amid reports that father and daughter are set for a head-on collision for the vice presidency.
In a video message released Sunday morning, Mayor Duterte also explained that she had decided not to run for president but as a result of the clamor for her to seek a national post, she decided to meet them “halfway” by substituting for a vice presidential run in 2022.
The local chief executive addressed “thousands” of her supporters as she noted that many of them were disappointed by her previous decision to stay out of the national elections by running for re-election as Davao City mayor.
She also touched on issues affecting PDP-Laban, saying that the problems besetting her father’s political party“are their own” to resolve.
President Duterte, PDP-Laban chairman, is reportedly set to beat the deadline for the filing of substitution on Monday, Nov. 15. Malacañang has disclosed he will seek the vice presidency.
Mayor Duterte’s decision to join Lakas-CMD and takeover the party’s placeholder for the vice presidential position, was her response to the appeal of the thousands of her supporters.
“After the deadline the offer to run for president became an opportunity to meet you halfway. It’s a path that would allow me to heed your call to serve our country and make me a strong person and public servants in the years that lie ahead,” she explained.
The lady mayor’s move to substitute for Lakas-CMD placeholder Lyle Fernando Uy had apparently set off PDP-Laban into turmoil.
After the presidential daughter’s substitution papers were filed before the Commission on Elections, PDP-Laban presidential aspirant Christopher “Bong” Go withdrew his candidacy.
Go replaced Grepor Belgica, former presidential candidate of the Pederalismo of the Greco Belgica of the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan.
President Duterte even accompanied Go to the Comelec to file the substitution requirements.
Secretary Martin Andanar, head of the Presidential Communications Operations Office, said the chief executive will replace Go as the dominant political party’s vice presidential candidate, thus, pitting him against her own daughter.
There have been reports that father and daughter have not discussed their respective political plans before the substitution developments were reported on Saturday.
“I appeal to all supporters to stay calm. The problems of PDP are their own let them resolve the issues within their party,” Mayor Duterte stated.
She pointed out: “This is all politics and this will not matter in the years to come.” “And even now when we need to focus on this country’s recovery and the people’s welfare. So let us be circumspect and stay the course,” she said.
The Lakas-CMD vice presidential aspirant urged supporters to “focus on forging relationships to unite for the good of our country.”
Mayor Duterte ended her address by calling on supporters to reflect from the words of Brahma Kumaris, an international spiritual movement seeking personal transformation and renewal: “ The drama of lie consists of elements of both destiny and freedom of choice.”