It is the people of Davao who can answer whether President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, are the right leadership team for the Philippines, according to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque. KING RODRIGUEZ/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO, FILE
MANILA, Philippines — The people of Davao who have seen the guiding hand of President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio may have some insights regarding the Philippines’ future under their tandem, Malacañang said Thursday.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made the suggestion when asked if a Duterte-Duterte tandem would be “wise” for the 2022 national elections.
“Let’s just put it this way. Nagkaroon na ng Duterte-Duterte in Davao, let’s ask the people of Davao if it was good for the city because that could also be a clue that could help us decide if a Duterte-Duterte tandem would be good for the country,” Roque said in an online briefing.
(Let’s just put it this way. There was already a Duterte-Duterte tandem in Davao. Let’s ask the people of Davao if it was good for the city because that could also be a clue that could help us decide if a Duterte-Duterte tandem would be good for the country.)
Duterte’s party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) has formally called on him to run as vice president in the 2022 national elections.
READ: PDP-Laban adopts reso to ‘convince’ Duterte to run for VP in 2022 polls
While he doesn’t see a Duterte-Duterte tandem, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda thinks the presidential daughter will run for president.
READ: ‘No doubt in my mind Sara Duterte is running for president in 2022’ — Salceda
Energy Secretary and PDP-Laban vice chair Alfonso Cusi, who was present at the Palace briefing, said a Duterte-Duterte tandem for 2022 needs to be studied first.
“So kung sasabihin natin yung Duterte-Duterte, that is something that we need to really study, we cannot answer if it’s good or not good at the moment,” Cusi said.
(If we say Duterte-Duterte, that is something that we really need to study, we cannot answer if it’s good or not good at the moment.)
“What we need to do is find out who can really, makakatulong, makakasulong sa pagprogress, pag asenso ng ating mamamayan at ng ating bayan, yun ang importante,” he went on.
(What we need to do is to find who can help, who can advance progress and give improvement to the lives of our people and the nation, that’s what’s important.)