CAMPAIGN TEASER Mayor Sara Duterte addressed the general assembly of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines in Cebu and teased the crowd of municipal mayors “not to forget to campaign for me” in Davao. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Davao City mayor and vice presidential candidate Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio claimed Tuesday she sought the support of political parties for her “tandem” with presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s, but the ruling PDP-Laban party rejected it.
PDP-Laban is chaired by her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, who at one point was expected to face-off with Duterte-Carpio for the vice presidential seat. The Davao City mayor is running under the Lakas-CMD party.
“Ang aking partido ay nakipag-alyansa at humingi ng suporta para kay Bongbong Marcos at para sa akin matapos kong tanggapin ang inyong hamon at panawagan. Tinanggihan ito ng PDP at naiintindihan natin ito,” Duterte-Carpio said in a video statement.
(Our party made an alliance and sought support for myself and Bongbong Marcos after accepting the challenge to run. PDP-Laban rejected this and we understand it.)
“Pero gusto ko lamang na linawin — walang pangalan na sinisira o dinudungisan, walang sinasagasaan, walang inaagrabyado, inaaway, pinapaiyak o inaapi,” she added.
(But I want to clarify, we are not ruining anybody’s name, nor are we making anybody cry.)
Despite the supposed rejection from her father’s party, Duterte-Carpio appealed to the public to continue supporting the Duterte administration.
“Sa muli, nananawagan ako ng pagkakaisa. Ang layunin natin ay hindi lamang ituloy ang mga magagandang nasimulan ni Pangulong Duterte kundi ang mas pagbutihin at mas palawigin pa ang mga ito,” Duterte-Carpio said.
(I ask for unity. Our goal is not only to continue what President Duterte has started but also to improve them.)
“The people will make me strong. And it is through our solidarity and unity that we will be able to build a stronger nation,” she added.
The Cusi-wing of the PDP-Laban party, with which Duterte is associated, has yet to respond to Duterte-Carpio’s claims.
While Duterte-Carpio is running under Lakas-CMD, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) has adopted and endorsed her as Marcos Jr.’s running mate for next year’s elections. Marcos Jr. is the presidential candidate of the PFP.
READ: PFP adopts Sara Duterte as Bongbong Marcos’ runningmate
Marcos Jr.’s spokesperson Atty. Vic Rodriguez has said that Duterte-Carpio has yet to accept the endorsement from PFP formally.
Nonetheless, the Davao City mayor’s latest remarks, admitting that she was seeking support for her and Marcos Jr., reveal the two politician’s partnership.
Lakas-CMD has also yet to comment on the tandem of Marcos Jr. and Duterte-Carpio.
For his part, President Duterte has recently made remarks against Marcos Jr. In a recent interview, President Duterte called Marcos Jr. “pro-communist.”
READ: Duterte claims Bongbong Marcos, Robredo ‘pro-communists’