The movement to prod Davao City Mayor Sara “Inday” Duterte into throwing her hat into the 2022 presidential derby is gaining ground, a Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) spokesperson on Monday revealed.
Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera citing the President’s daughter’s “strong, independent personality and obvious reluctance to take on what she knows is a very difficult job.”
“We’ve set up a new citizens movement, called the Hugpong Para ka Sara (HPS), and it is snowballing through the regions as people from all sectors, walks of life, and political inclinations are joining it as we go along,” said Herrera.
This developed as a member of the Makabayan Bloc said President Rodrigo Duterte’s posturing on his 2022 election bid is part of his effort to distract the public from his failure to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and the mounting accusations of corruption that went with the efforts to fight the virus.
In a statement, Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdinand Gaite added: “Duterte is obviously just putting on a show, a political circus to distract everyone from the more important issues haunting his corrupt and inutile regime.”
Gaite said the President’s confirmation of his intention to run for vice president in next year’s election “is a diversionary tactic from government agencies flagged by the Commission on Audit over the handling of funds.”
Malacanang earlier said President Duterte decided to run for Vice President in the 2022 elections because he thought his daughter, Duterte-Carpio will not run for president.
“Delicadeza dictates that only one Duterte will run. So since only one Duterte will run, and, in his perception, Mayor Sara will not run then he can run for vice president,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.
Meanwhile, Herrera said: “The interesting thing about this movement is that a lot of people who are jumping into the bandwagon were not supporters of Mayor Sara in the beginning, but are gradually attracted by her quiet, yet potent character which symbolizes, for them, genuine change.”
Herrera said the HPS functions for now as a “think-tank’ run by a virtual citizens movement composed of the business sector, local communities, academe, local government and non-government organizations, environmental groups, among others.
It’s immediate goal, she said, is to provide the Davao City Mayor with adequate data from the grassroots level upon which she can base her decision whether to run for President in 2022 or not.
“We will support Mayor Sara if she decides to run for President and will support any decision of the Duterte family as well, should the Davao chief executive decide not to,” Herrera said.
“We urge all supporters to likewise respect her process. Rest assured that whatever her final decision may be, the welfare of our kababayans (countrymen) will be of her utmost concern,” she added.
The HPS will have its official launch on September 12.
“They seem to get drawn to the fact that Mayor Sara has a mind of her own, does not care about being at odds with her father’s views, and is taking a great deal of thought to whether she will run for President or not,” Herrera said. “All of these attributes show Mayor Sara is no “trapo.”
The political phenomenon that is Sara Duterte shows signs of building momentum, the lawmaker said, noting that the mayor continues to lead in all surveys among ordinary Filipinos polled on who they want as their next President in 2022.