Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Tuesday there was no conflict between her membership in the ruling PDP-Laban party and her joining the campaign sorties of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago ticket.
“I don’t think there’s any conflict. The lineups [of the two tickets] are the same,” Arroyo said at the sidelines of the House Oversight Committee on Housing hearing at the Rosauro Arboleda Elementary School in Zaragoza, Tondo.
She made her statement even as Sara Duterte said a senatorial debate could not happen without an agreement among the parties involved and a formal arrangement including laying down the rules for the event.
Sara, the daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte who serves as the campaign manager of the administration coalition HNP, said the opposition could not ask for a debate as if they were picking up a street fight.
Arroyo said she was scheduled to accompany former Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan III to Pampanga for a campaign sortie.
“In fact, tomorrow I’m bringing one of the PDP-Laban candidates to Pampanga”•Raffy Alunan–the newest addition,” Arroyo said.
She attended the campaign kickoff of the HNP senatorial slate on Feb. 12 in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga.
She said holding the campaign kickoff of the HNP in Pampanga had recognized the big lead of President Rodrigo Duterte in the province in the 2016 elections in the province.
“It’s a recognition of the fact that in the last elections, the majority of Mayor Duterte’s [votes] outside his bailiwick was in Pampanga, so we hope we can duplicate that,” Arroyo said.
“I will join the campaign [sorties] of [administration candidates for] senator as needed.”