New Hugpong remains hopeful Duterte will reconsider VP bid in 2022
Leaders of the citizens group Hugpong Para kay Sara (HPS) on Thursday, Sept. 16 revealed that they will use the remaining days prior to the filing of certificate of candidacy in October to convince President Rodrigo Duterte to give up his plan to run for vice president.
With Speaker Lord Allan Velasco as its president emeritus, the HPS believes that with Duterte out of the race for a national post, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte might decide to declare her bid to seek the presidency in 2022.
The city mayor announced last week that she is not running for president.
She made the decision after her father accepted his nomination as official PDP-Laban vice presidential candidate next year.
It will be recalled that the presidential daughter has publicly declared she will not seek a national office if her father will also run.
Former Davao del Norte Rep. Anthony Del Rosario, HPS chairman, said there is still time for President Duterte to reconsider his decision to run for vice president.
He noted that there is sufficient time for them “to persuade the President to give way to Mayor Sara, since there is an agreement between father and daughter that only one Duterte can run for a national post.” However, Del Rosario did not reveal how the HPS will attempt to convince Duterte not to run for vice president, saying that” it is a bit too early” to either write or seek audience with the chief executive to air their appeal.
“President Duterte started good programs, but that is not to say there is nothing to be improved,” Del Rosario said in a press statement.
He added: “Our movement has high hopes that we can convince PRRD not to run as VP so that the best person for the job of continuing these projects, and even adding her own, can consider running.”