Cebu group launches Sara for senator campaign

A member of the opposition bloc in Cebu City is organizing a signature campaign here to convince presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to run for senator in the May 2019 midterm election.

Councilor Erik Espina of the United Barug Team Rama said that he hopes to gather one million signatures which he will soon present to Duterte.

Espina, the youngest son of former Senator and Cebu Governor Rene Espina, said that if Duterte were elected to a national position, she will be instrumental in organizing localized and regionalized peace talks between the government and rebel groups.

“We’re going to push for her (senate) bid. I observed that a lot (of people) wanted for her to be a Senator but they’re not united,” said Espina.

A Pulse Asia survey released in June showed that Mayor Duterte, head of the local party “Hugpong Pagbabago” made it to the top 12 list of preferred candidates for senator.

But President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said that his eldest child is not interested in seeking a national post.

Espina is confident that prodding through the “Inday Sara for Duterte for Senator Movement” which he helped establihs will convince Mayor Duterte to change her mind.

Other group members include Tisa Barangay Captain Philip Zafra and members of the academe and business sector among others.

The campaign, which they launched in Cebu on Thursday, is the first effort by any group in the country to convince Mayor Duterte to run for senator. Espina said they plan to expand their movement to the rest of the country in the coming days.

He plans to especially solicit the help of Apollo Quiboloy, the founder of Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

“It (the movement) is open for anyone. Anyone is welcome to join (us). I cannot speak on behalf of the others but if they want to help, why not,” said Espina. Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña for his part said that he was committed to also support the candidacy of Mayor Duterte should she decide to run for senator.

“Why not? I mean, she’s from local government. That’s a big plus. And she’s a Bisaya. That’s very OK for me,” he told reporters during his press conference on Thursday.

However, Osmeña said, he is yet to discuss with members of his Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) if there was a need for them to join movements showing support for the Davao City mayor’s candidacy.