Vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte has refused to endorse any mayoralty candidate in the country capital of Manila in the upcoming May 2022 polls
Her reason is quite simple--the contestants for highest seat in the city are both her friends.
"Sa ngayon wala (endorsing a mayoralty candidate) po, kaibigan po natin si Mayor Bagatsing at si Mayor Alex Lopez. Mga kaibigan po silang lahat (Right now I'm not endorsing a mayoralty candidate, Mayor Bagatsing and Mayor Alex Lopez are both my friends. They're all my friends)" Duterte said on Friday night, March 25 in a chance interview with reporters covering her campaign trail.
Duterte, who amusingly referred to both Lopez and Bagatsing as "mayor", made rounds in Manila Friday to attend the proclamation rallies of local candidates.
The included the rally of Manila mayoralty candidate Bagatsing and his slate led by reelectionist Manila 5th district Rep. Cristal Bagatsing in San Andres Bukid, Manila and a similar activity of reelectionist Manila 1st district Rep. Manny Lopez of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
Duterte thanked Bagatsing and Lopez for giving her the opportunity to share UniTeam's message of unity, hope, and patriotism.
"Nagpapasalamat po kami sa mga taga-siyudad ng Maynila sa kanila pong pag-imbita sa amin na sumali sa proclamation rallies ng kanilang mga distrito at sana po ay suportahan nila ang UniTeam (We thank the Manila residents for inviting us to join the proclamation rallies of their different districts and I hope you will support)," Duterte told reporters regarding her message to local.
"Ang UniTeam po ni Bongbong Marcos at ni Sara Duterte ay tututukan ang pera sa bulsa, pagkain sa lamesa ng ating mga kababayan, at kailangan pong maibalik ang hanapbuhay at trabaho. Kailangan ring tiyakin ang mapayapang pamumuhay sa bahay (The UniTeam of Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte will focus on putting money in people's pockets, food on their tables, and the return of employment and jobs. Peace and order must also be ensured)," the presidential daughter said in her speech during the San Andres Bukid proclamation rally.