Juggling act for Sara as she remains Lakas, HNP chair


DAVAO CITY – Vice President-elect Sara Duterte revealed Monday, June 20, that she will juggle the chairmanship of her national and regional political parties.

Duterte said in a press conference that she will remain as chairman of the national party Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) of former President and House Speaker Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP). The Vice President co-founded HNP with provincial governors in Davao Region in 2018.

Duterte said that House Majority Leader and Lakas-CMD president Martin Romualdez intends to make the party the dominant force in the House of Representatives.

“I think and I understand from the moves of Majority Floor Leader Martin Romualdez that that’s his target with respect to the membership of the House of Representatives,” she said.

Duterte revealed that a lot of politicians have conveyed their interest to join Lakas-CMD through her but said that she has always directs them to Romualdez who administers the oath of membership.

She said that she has discussed with Mrs. Arroyo expanding the membership of their party, a move which gained the support of the former Chief Executive.

The former President has always been supportive of Lakas-CMD on what they do within the party, Duterte said.

“Lahat kami we still consult Gloria Macapagal Arroyo sa mga ginagawa namin sa loob ng partido (All of us still consult Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on what we do within the party),” Duterte said.