Sara To Run For President In 2022 – Salceda

Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda bared on Wednesday night, June 2, that Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio will run for president in next year’s general elections.

“I’m sure that Sara will run,” Salceda told “Sa Totoo Lang” on One PH in an interview.

Salceda said he has been in touch with the presidential daughter and based on their exchange of text messages, it was clear that she would run.

“Marami akong exchange of texts with her and I can tell you that she is really running,” Salceda noted.

Salceda disclosed he asked permission from Duterte-Carpio if he could already reveal her plans for 2022 to the media but was told that he might be defending “ somebody who is not yet a candidate.”

“There is no other way of interpreting it…Isang basa ko lang ng mga chat, talagang she is running.  And my sources say that…there are alliances being formed for her candidacy in 2022.

In a subsequent interview over “The Chiefs” on One News / TV5, Salceda maintained that Duterte-Carpio will run despite her father, President Duterte’s previous pronouncements that he wouldn’t want his daughter to succeed him.

“She will run,” the Albay lawmaker said. “I will say that empathically, she will run.”

Salceda also disclosed that alliances for Duterte-Carpio’s presidential bid were already done deals.

He said at least five political parties will support Duterte-Carpio in 2022 and it doesn’t matter if she’s not a member of the ruling PDP-Laban where Salceda belongs.

Duterte-Carpio has been leading presidential surveys. Various groups have also come out the Davao City mayor to succeed her father.

Responding to the calls, Duterte-Carpio, back in January, said she might consider running for president in the 2034 elections.

No Duterte-Duterte tandem?

Salceda does not adhere to the idea that a Duterte-Duterte tandem will be unbeatable in 2022, saying it would be best for the presidential daughter to look for a running mate who can bring more votes for her and her ticket.

“If you want to ensure that you’re winning, you better have a geographical balance,” he said.

This comes as members of the PDP-Laban passed a resolution during a national council meeting on Monday, May 31, urging the Chief Executive to run for vice president in the 2022 polls, and even choose his running mate and eventual successor.

Salceda said he would not know if the President would give in to his partymates: “Ang sigurado lang dyan (What is certain is that) Sara will run with somebody in 2022.”

He also noted that the Davao City mayor should be the one to succeed her father in order to continue the programs started during the present administration.

Asked about Duterte-Carpio’s possible running mate,  Salceda said former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. could be one of them.

What about Manila Mayor Isko Moreno? Salceda said he sees the possible tandem favorably, but does not know Duterte-Carpio’s opinion about it.

Salceda also revealed that Duterte-Carpio was behind the ouster of former House speaker Pantaleon Alvarez in July 2018.

The presidential daughter, Salceda added, likewise told him to support Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco as the next speaker to replace Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano in 2020.

Salceda said it would be best to start the vetting of candidates rather than delay the process just because there are many important things to be done. He described “work” as a “nice excuse” for those who do not want to discuss the elections at the moment.

He told Sa Totoo Lang that the people deserve to know and scrutinize the candidates now since the filing of certificates of candidacy is already in October.

Salceda said commitments should already be clear to the population – what the candidates will do – to do away with personality-oriented politics drowning people’s ability to see through the character of the bets.