Sara: No Duterte-Duterte Tandem In 2022; Gibo Wants To Be Her Running Mate

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio doused speculation that she would be running for president in next year’s elections with her father, President Duterte as running mate.

“I do not understand why 1Sambayan and the Palace are playing a slapping game about a Duterte-Duterte tandem. The President already said I am not fit to be president because I am woman,” Sara said in a message to News5 on Monday night, June 7.

In January, the President declared that the presidency was no job for a woman because of their emotional differences to men, and dismissed speculation that his daughter would succeed him next year.

Maeanne Los Baños of News5 also reported that Sara does not have any definite political plans yet even if Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda said that the mayor is definitely running for president in 2022.

Read more: Sara To Run For President In 2022 – Salceda  

"Sorry Ma’am hindi ako makapagsalita kasi nothing is definite," Sara also told News5 on June 6.

Asked if she feels any pressure from people encouraging her to run next year, Sara replied that she’s “OK” and busy with the COVID-19 surge and the vaccine rollout.

On Friday, June 4, the government has approved the request of the mayor to place the area under stricter modified enhanced community quarantine until June 20.

Read more: Davao City Placed Under MECQ; Shorter Quarantine For Returning Vaccinated Filipinos OK’d

This developed as Malacañang on Monday parried fresh criticisms against a possible Duterte-Duterte tandem in next year's elections, saying the opposition cannot claim to speak for the voters.

Some administration supporters are asking Sara to run for president and her father to seek the vice presidency, saying there is a need to sustain the gains of the present government.

Sara previously said she might join the presidential race in 2034, not in 2022. The President has yet to decide on calls for him to run for vice president.

Howard Calleja, a convenor of the opposition coalition 1Sambayan, predicted in an interview on June 3 that Filipinos would reject the Duterte-Duterte tandem because they would see it as a "selfish move" to perpetuate power to one family.

Calleja also said Salceda was more qualified to run for president than Sara.

Another opposition figure, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, has been quoted by reports as saying on Saturday, June 5, that he would like Sara to run because it would be a chance for voters to reject the Duterte brand. 

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque advised the opposition to be cautious when talking about the sentiments of the public.

"Well, as (Health) Secretary (Francisco) Duque (III) said, see you on election day. The people will decide on that. It's just strange that they think they speak for the people. If you look at the surveys, fewer than five percent do not support our President,” Roque said.

"So be careful. While you claim to be the voice of the people, you might be the voice of just one barangay," he added.

Roque noted that Trillanes cannot claim to be the spokesperson of the Filipinos electorate.

"We will only know the decision of the people after the election so we should have an election,"

Roque also disputed the claim of former Commission on Elections chairman Christian Monsod on Monday that the ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan's (PDP-Laban) decision to urge the Chief Executive to run for vice president is an "insidious" move to circumvent the constitution's provision on reelection.

"There is absolutely no ban for a president to run for vice president," the Palace spokesman said. 

"If he (Monsod) can show me a provision which bars the president (from running) for the position of vice president, then of course the president will honor that provision but as it is, there is no literal provision in the constitution that states that principle," he added.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo previously said the President is leaving it to God whether he would seek the vice presidency next year. He has also claimed that the President would be open to running for vice president if the clamor for him to do so is strong.

‘Good president’

Sara would make a good president, former defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Monday.

Teodoro also said he was also offering himself to be the running mate of the Sara should she decide to run for the country’s highest post in May 2022.

"My impression of Mayor Sara talking about issues was that she will make a very good president of this country. She would have the ability to unite a lot of people, she has an independent mind, she has managerial skills running a very complex city like Davao," Teodoro told “Headstart” on ABS-CBN News Channel.

"She agrees the priorities…getting everybody vaccinated, getting the economy going. She will be a good presidential candidate,” he said.

Teodoro, who ran for president in 2010, said he would “gladly” back up Sara as vice president “if she so decides.”

The former defense chief spoke with Sara last Thursday, June 3, in a meeting arranged by former Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr.

Teodoro said he consulted with Andaya after many people and groups asked that he return to public service.

He added he could not yet say if he would run for other posts given the clamor for him to serve in government again.

"That’s something for events to determine. Right now, all I’m willing to do is back her (Sara) up as vice president," he admitted.

Teodoro said it was not easy for him to lose in 2010 but he learned a lot working in the private sector since then.

"Of course, naturally, losing is not an easy thing to go through. It humbles you. It matures you, it makes you more realistic in life. And it opened up a lot of opportunities to be in the private sector learning a lot,” Teodoro said.

When asked about the political dynasty being perpetuated with the mayor possibly succeeding her father, he said there were two Aquinos (Corazon Aquino and Benigno Simeon Aquino III), and two Macapagals (Diosdado Macapagal and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) who were elected as presidents.

“I think you cannot consider Mayor Sara to be within the spirit of what a political dynasty is because she’s quite independent-minded,” Teodoro said.