Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio admitted Thursday, Feb. 10 that she ultimately wants to see her father, President Duterte, express his support for the presidential candidacy of her running mate, former senator Bongbong Marcos.
"Yes of course yan ang gusto naming lahat no, na makita yung suporta ni Pangulong Duterte para sa UniTeam (that's what we all want to see, for President Duterte to support the UniTeam)," Duterte-Carpio said in a chance interview with reporters in Santa Maria, Bulacan.
The lady mayor and Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) chairperson was referring to his ticket with Marcos, which they have dubbed the BBM-Sara UniTeam.
She was asked if she would seek President Duterte's support for Marcos.
"But of course he is the President and he is allowed to do and say kung ano yung gusto niya (whatever he wants). And we will respect his decision," Duterte-Carpio said of her 76-year-old father.
The Chief Executive have earlier said that all presidential candidates in the upcoming May 9 polls are "qualified", but stopped short of endorsing anyone. The ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), which the elder Duterte chairs, didn't field a candidate in the Palace race.
There have been rumors that the relationship between the father and daughter has been strained even before the election season began.
In the same interview, Duterte-Carpio said she expects to personally meet the President during upcoming occasions involving their family.
"Hindi pa kami nagkausap ni (I haven't spoken with) President Duterte but in time, I expect that we will see each other if not after the campaign, baka (maybe) during the campaign dahil may mga birthdays sa family during March and April. So baka magkita kami doon sa events na yun (because there are birthdays in the family during March and April. So maybe we will see each other during those events)," she said.
President Duterte turns 77 on March 28.