Presidential daughter thanks supporters and calls for honest, orderly elections
(Eagle News) — Davao City mayor Sara Duterte filed her certificate of candidacy to run as mayor, seeking a third term in the city.
The presidential daughter filed her CoC shortly after 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 2, after her father President Rodrigo Duterte decided to retire from politics and not run anymore as vice-presidential bet in next year’s elections.
The 76-year old Philippine leader announced that he does not want to circumvent the law and the spirit of the Constitution, thus the change of mind and decision to retire after his term of office ends in 2022.
Sara’s filing of candidacy to seek reelection put an end to speculations that she would run for president after her father decided not to run anymore in next year’s national elections.
In her Facebook post on Saturday, Oct. 2, after filing her candidacy seeking reelection as Davao City mayor, Sara thanked all those who had expressed support for her.
-Sara thanks supporters-
“I have been honored with the gift of trust and respect of many of our fellow Filipinos. Thank you to everyone who have expressed their support,” she said.
“Many of you do not know me and yet you carry me over your shoulders. Like the other millions of Filipinos, I share with you the same goal of living a peaceful and prosperous life in our country, today and in the many years to come.”
“I call on everyone to work together for an honest, orderly, and credible elections in May 2022,” Mayor Sara said.
-Void at PDP Laban-
With this development, the big question looms as to who would be the presidential candidate of the ruling PDP-Laban party.
The former party nominee for the presidency, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go decided to run for the vice-presidency under the PDP-Laban party.
He was supported by President Duterte who even accompanied the senator when he filed his candidacy before the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 2.
Duterte endorsed Go’s run for the second highest position of the land.
He then announced his reason why he was not running anymore as vice-presidential bet and instead is retiring from politics.
Many speculated then that his daughter Sara will be the standard bearer and presidential candidate of the PDP-Laban, and that a Sara Duterte-Bong Go tandem is in the offing. Sara is also leading in surveys among possible presidential bets. But Sara’s move to seek reelection instead put an end to this.
The PDP Laban has yet to announce who would be its presidential candidate.
Before this, President Duterte and his daughter both have made announcements that “only one Duterte” will run for a national post in 2022.
(Eagle News Service)
