Davao City — Mayor Sara Duterte “thumbed down” a possible tandem with her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, should she decide to join the presidential race next year.
During her program over Davao City Disaster Radio 87.5 FM, the mayor said that “it is unlikely that she would be chosen as the running mate of President Duterte,” who earlier “detested the idea of having a woman as the next president of the country.”
President Duterte, whose term will end on June 30, 2022, recently said that running for vice president was a “good idea” because he has “unfinished business.” Last month, his party urged him to seek such position, as the Constitution bars him from seeking re-election.
“President Duterte has already said that the presidency is not a woman’s job, particularly not for me. So if President Duterte will run for vice president, let’s not expect that he will get me as president,” Mayor Duterte said.
During an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel on June 16, Mayor Duterte, who has been topping the list of possible presidential candidates, changed her tune about the presidential race next year, saying she is now considering the idea of running for the country’s top post.
The mayor added that she had no plans of joining a national party and that she would rather stay with the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), which she founded along with the different governors of Davao region and the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, a local political party her father founded when he was mayor of this city.
She said she is thankful to politicians who support her, particularly those who expressed interest to become her running mate for next year’s national elections.
“Not only to them but to all the people who have shown their support. I thank you for your trust and confidence in me as a person and as a public official,” she said.
Mayor Duterte added that she has not decided on her running mate because she has yet to finalize her decision whether to run for the country’s top post.
(News & photo courtesy of Antonio L. Colina IV, MindaNews)