President Rodrigo Duterte arrives with daughter and first lady Sara Duterte-Carpio to attend the enthronement ceremony of Japan’s Emperor Naruhito in Tokyo, Japan October 22, 2019. (Pool via REUTERS / file photo)
MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio possibly succeeding her father as the highest official in the country is part of a political dynasty, a senator said Thursday, contrary to Malacañang’s belief that it could not be called as such.
“Yes, of course. It’s a father and daughter succeeding one another so yes, of course that’s a dynasty,” Senator Francis Pangilinan said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel when asked if a Sara Duterte presidency is considered a part of a political dynasty.
“I don’t see the point of saying that she’s not supposedly being asked to run…A family member succeeding a family member, that’s pretty much a part of political dynasties,” he added.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said it could not be called a political dynasty should President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter decide to run for president in the 2022 elections since the chief executive himself is against her joining the race.
“If Mayor Sara runs, it will be against the wishes of her father, and I don’t call this a dynasty because clearly, the President (said), ‘I don’t want the mess of the presidency on my family.’ But if so decides then it’s up to the electorate,” Roque said in a television interview Wednesday.
Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan
“And I don’t think we can accuse the Duterte family of perpetuating themselves in power, because the President has made it clear, ‘I don’t want the presidency for Mayor Sara’,” he added.
In January this year, Duterte said his daughter is not running for president, reiterating that he had cautioned his daughter against seeking the presidency.
But the Davao City mayor’s name was recently floated as a possible presidential candidate in 2022 elections after Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said that there is “no doubt” in his mind that she will run for the highest government post.
‘Go out and register’
Pangilinan, meanwhile, stressed that instead of focusing on prospective candidates for the elections next year, measures should be taken to ensure that more eligible voters exercise their right to suffrage.
“More than discussing who will run at this point, I think we should discuss why voters should register because, the deadline of filing is in October but the deadline for registration is in September. There are 14 million eligible voters who are not registered and we know the 14, 15, 16 million numbers are critical numbers, in terms of electing a president, a vice president, and senators,” he said.
“So we would like to get as many people to register and use their right to vote to be able to select those they believe should be supported in the coming elections,” he added.