Defends Davao mayor’s creation of a regional party, though
(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday took a hands-off stance in the “rift” between his daughter, Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, and Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, even as he defended her move to create a regional party.
When asked about the issue after his visit to the wake of Joanna Demafelis in Sara, Iloilo, Duterte said: “Puro sila abogado. Hayaan mo.”
“Inday wanted to just.may group kami, Hugpong,” he said, referring to his daughter and the Hugpong ng Pagbabago created by the Davao mayor that aims to support the President’s agenda.
On Thursday, the President’s daughter lashed out at Alvarez, Duterte’s partymate at PDP-Laban, after he supposedly called her a member of the opposition following the creation of Hugpong.
In a statement, the Davao mayor, who is the group’s chair, said that the “unity (she) forged with the four governors of Region 11” has the blessing of the President himself.
“Even the use of the word Hugpong as the name of our regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago has the President’s approval,” she said, noting that she even informed the President that she would not be joining his own party.
She also decried Alvarez’s supposed remark that the regional group was the result of political dynasties, and his supposed remark on his capability as Speaker to impeach a President.
“President iba siya. Speaker ako. I can always impeach him!” the Davao mayor quoted Alvarez as saying.
“The Speaker’s latest statement that he respects the creation of Hugpong ng Pagbabago or that the unity is a non-issue was unfortunately betrayed by his comment on political dynasties. If the Speaker is attacking our effort to do something significant and timely for Region 11 and reducing it as a product of political dynasties, I suggest he pass the Anti-Political Dynasty bill,” she said.