Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio will likely run for president under the banner of Lakas-CMD, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said yesterday as multiple sources said there are talks of a possible tandem with former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro is in the works.
“We have presumptions that she’s running for president… There is no VP option for her. And picking a VP for her is not a problem,” Salceda said.
Salceda said the Davao City mayor “wanted to be president in the first place since May” but there were “stumbling blocks” that were “thrown at her from the side of her father.”
“In order to clear [those stumbling blocks] – she could not dictate on her dad, so she had her [own] way of clearing those roadblocks. She wanted to be president,” he added.
While speculation was rife that Duterte-Carpio would run in tandem with former Senator and Partido Federal ng Pilipinas standard bearer Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., it appears that is no longer on the table as neither would want to slide down to vice president.
PFP secretary-general Thompson Lantion said the focus is on Marcos’ presidential run even as they are open to having Duterte-Carpio as vice president.
“If she finds it in her heart that she believes in what we are pushing for, then we will welcome her with open arms,” Lantion said.
For her part, Vice President Leni Robredo said she was not surprised at all that Duterte-Carpio withdrew her mayoralty bid to possibly seek a national post.
“Our plans are not affected since these are not hinged on whoever the opponent is. I think it can even work to our advantage,” said Robredo, who is seeking the presidency as an independent candidate.
A faction of the PDP-Laban backed by President Rodrigo Duterte, on the other hand, said the presidential daughter’s decision “will most certainly affect the political landscape.”
Both the PDP-Laban faction and Lakas-CMD have expressed their openness to having Duterte-Carpio as their substitute presidential candidate.
“PDP-Laban watches with keen interest the developments on Sara Duterte’s decision to withdraw her certificate of candidacy for Davao City Mayor, especially considering the public support she enjoys,” said Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.
PDP-Laban presidential bet Sen. Ronald dela Rosa earlier said it would be “better” if Duterte-Carpio would replace him as standard bearer. The mayor, however, has made it clear she would not have anything to do with PDP-Laban.
Lakas-CMD secretary general and Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. said the party is open to having the presidential daughter as substitute candidate in case she changes her mind about not gunning for a national position.
Teodoro, who filed his certificate of candidacy for senator, paid a courtesy call on Duterte-Carpio in Davao City in June where he offered himself as her potential running mate should she decide to seek the presidency in next year’s polls.