A DAVAO City councilor and convenor supporting the presidential bid of Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio believes that the mayor is set to run for the highest national post for the 2022 elections following her withdrawal for reelection for the same post.
“The fact that she withdrew her candidacy for the mayor, there’s no other way except to go up,” Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang, who is the co-convenor of the Sara All Philippines movement, said during an interview with CNN Philippines’ The Source Thursday, November 11.
Duterte-Carpio personally withdrew her certificate of candidacy for the mayoralty race on Tuesday afternoon, November 9, and named her brother, Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte, as her substitute.
Dayanghirang posted on the same day a photo of him meeting with the mayor at the City Hall of Davao. He said this happened after she withdrew her candidacy.
He said the mayor is still uncertain about her political decision.
“Parang nasa gitna siya ng storm. Parang malaki na unos na (She’s like in the middle of a storm wherein) she’s trying to navigate between the pressure of the people, with the different big political parties, and political development,” the councilor said.
Dayanghirang said the mayor initially was not interested in running for the highest position. He said this might have changed as her supporters continue to prod her to run despite already saying that she is firm on her decision to stay and finish her term as mayor in Davao City.
Meanwhile, Dayanghirang said the presidential daughter is following the “script” of her father, current President Rodrigo Duterte, who also made a similar move after substituting current Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Diño for the presidential bid.
Duterte-Carpio announced on Thursday, November 11, that she had already left the regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), which she co-founded in 2018.
The mayor had not made any formal announcements on her political plans. Dayanghirang said they will continue to push for her to run for the president and succeed her father for the continuity of the latter’s progress.
He said they would also respect her decision if she decides to settle with the vice presidency.
