Sara Duterte: Filipinos ‘understand’ Duterte needs more Senate backing

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio (Photo by NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines – The results of the midterm elections where allies of President Rodrigo Duterte dominated the Senate race was proof that Filipinos “understand” the need of the chief executive for a strong Senate backing, presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio said.

“It shows the understanding of voters that President Rodrigo Duterte needs more support from the Senate,” Duterte-Carpio, who won her reelection bid as Davao City mayor, told INQUIRER.net in a Viber message on Wednesday night.

Sara, chair and founder of the regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), said she was hoping that nine of the party’s candidates would win a Senate seat.

Initial official results of the midterm elections showed that Duterte-Capio’s candidates, who are allied with the President, continue to dominate the Senate race.

Among the HNP candidates in the Top 12, only former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. was not endorsed by the President.

“I hope after the official counting HNP senators take 9 seats,” Duterte-Carpio said.

The Senate has failed to pass priority legislative agenda of the President such as federalism, which has been a campaign promise of Duterte.

Malacañang earlier said the landslide win of Duterte-backed candidates in the Senate race showed that Filipinos wanted continuity on the genuine reforms of the President.

READ: Palace: Duterte ‘magic’ works; Filipinos prefer admin reforms

“Undoubtedly, the Duterte magic spelled the difference. The overwhelming majority of the electorate had responded to the call of the President to support those whom he said would help pass laws supportive of his goal to uplift our people and give them comfortable lives they richly deserve,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement a day after the May 13 elections.

Duterte had said that the results of the midterm elections would be a referendum on his three-year old administration. (Editor: Cenon B. Bibe Jr.)

READ: Duterte sees results of midterm polls as a referendum for admin