President Duterte has endorsed the vice-presidential bid of his daughter.
PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE — The Philippine President has endorsed the vice-presidential bid of his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
For the first time, the President endorsed his daughter’s candidacy in public as he made this pronouncement during the PDP-Laban grand rally in Lapu-Lapu City last March 31.
“I’m going to retire but my daughter is running for vice president. If you think that… Actually, this is the first time that I’m using my name as a father, for my daughter. It’s because we’ve had issues, pero anak is anak is anak,” the President said in a mix of English and Bisaya. “Inday is very good, to be totally honest with you. Inday is very hard working.”
This wasn’t the first time the President said he and his daughter are not talking ever since the latter decided to run for vice president in the 2022 elections.
Last November 2021, the President admitted that his daughter kept him in the dark about her plans for the upcoming elections and only learned about it when she filed her certificate of candidacy (COC).
The PDP-Laban faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi adopted Mayor Sara as the party’s vice-presidential bet early this year.
Last March, it said that it would support the presidential bid of Mayor Sara’s running mate, former Senator Bongbong Marcos.
However, the President maintained that he’s not supporting any presidential candidate in the 2022 elections despite his party’s decision to support the former senator.
READ ALSO: Mocha Uson Recalls what Duterte Said About Bongbong Marcos
It was confirmed last week that the President had met with the former senator, but President Duterte said this week that his meeting with candidates doesn’t mean anything special as it’s part of being a politician.
“I had to [meet them],” the President said. “Siyempre, I had to talk to them, taas ng kamay nila. Well, ang buhay ng pulitiko.”
The President has repeated that he’ll stay neutral and would only support a presidential candidate should there be a “compelling reason” for him to do so.
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