Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio. (HNP MEDIA)
CEBU CITY – Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio asked for the support of Mandauehanons in next year’s senatorial race.
But not for herself.
Instead, the President’s daughter had asked the support of Mandaue City residents and officials for the candidacy of three senatorial bets — former Senator Jinggoy Estrada, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, and incumbent Davao City 1st District Rep. Karlo Nograles.
Speaking at the 49th Charter Day Celebration of Mandaue City at the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex on Thursday afternoon, Duterte-Carpio reiterated that she will not be running for senator in the 2019 elections.
“Akong ikaduhang message mao ang paghangyo sa inyoha mga taga Mandaue karon umaabot nga eleksyon sa 2019. Siguro kamo tanan naghuna-huna kung modagan pa kog senador. Dili ko modagan ug senador,” she said in her speech.
(My second message is to ask a favor from you people of Mandaue this coming 2019 elections. Maybe you’re thinking if I will be running for senator. I will not run as senator.)
“But I’d like to solicit your support for senators in the 2019 elections,” she added.
She first mentioned Estrada, whom she personally brought to Cebu to attend Thursday’s celebration in Mandaue City.
Then she mentioned Marcos, whom she said has known a lot of people across the country because of her work as former chairperson of the Kabataang Barangay.
Lastly, the presidential daughter mentioned Nograles who is not on his third and last term as congressman.
Estrada, Marcos, and Nograles were present during the event and also given opportunities to address the crowd – Mandaue City officials, City Hall department heads and employees, and other guests – at the complex.
Prior to asking for support for the three senatorial hopefuls, the eldest daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte thanked the attendees for their support to his father’s presidential candidacy in 2016.
Duterte-Carpio also said she plans on seeking reelection as mayor of Davao City in 2019.
In his speech, Estrada joked that he “gate-crashed” the event as he was not invited by Mandaue City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing and was just tagged along by Duterte-Carpio.
He also joked that it was “hard” to be in jail, alluding to his detention on graft and plunder charges over his alleged involvement in the multibillion-peso “pork barrel” scam. He added that he is confident he had not committed any crime and that his conscience is clear.
At the same time, Estrada also personally pushed for the candidacy of Marcos as senator.
“Ikakampanya ko na kahit bawal. Wala naman kakaso sa akin. Sanay na ako makulong. Si Gov. Imee Marcos, anak ng isang dating presidente. Kailangan nating tulungan sa senado,” Estrada said.
(I will campaign even if it’s not allowed. No one will sue me, anyway. I’m used to being imprisoned. Gov. Imee Marcos, daughter of a former president. We need to help her get to the Senate.)
For his part, Nograles said in his speech that he was surprised by Duterte-Carpio’s endorsement.
He proceeded on talking about updates on some national issues, being the chairperson of the Committee on Appropriations at the House of Representatives.
For one, he said they will continue putting funds for the free tuition and miscellaneous fees for students in state universities and colleges nationwide which was recently signed into law by President Duterte, as well as the new law providing for free irrigation to farmers.
Another thing he highlighted is the newly signed law on National ID system, which he said has been asked for by the people for several administrations already.
On the issue of rice supply, Nograles said that Congress will be investigating next week some officials of the National Food Authority (NFA) on the use of some government funds to pay the agency’s debts when the money was appropriated for the purchase of stocks of rice.
Marcos addressed the crowd before Duterte-Carpio’s speech and endorsement.
She congratulated the local government of Mandaue City and recalled that her father, the late strongman President Ferdinand E. Marcos, signed the law establishing Mandaue as a city. /kga