House Majority Leader and party president Martin Romualdez and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) party will support not only the presidential but also the vice presidential candidate selected by Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said Monday.
Romualdez made the remark after the Lakas-CMD renewed its alliance with HNP ahead of the 2022 national elections. Romualdez is the chairman of the Lakas-CMD.
“The Lakas-CMD will extend its full and unqualified support not only to the presidential candidate to be selected by Mayor Sara Duterte’s HNP, but also to its chosen vice-presidential candidate,” Romualdez said in a statement.
“We seek stronger cooperation in ensuring the preservation of the country’s democratic processes to further pursue a strong nation, including the conduct of peaceful and orderly elections in the service of the Filipino people,” he added.
Romualdez said that there were no problems when the Lakas-CMD and HNP worked together in the 2019 midterm elections “because all of us here are championing the ideals and principles of good governance and effective public service.
“Our main objective is to help each other perform our duties and responsibilities and we believe that the people deserve a track record of performance from their elected leaders,” he said.
Duterte-Carpio’s name has been floating as a possible presidential candidate in the 2022 elections, but HNP said the Davao City mayor will decide on running for presidency in October.
Romualdez’ name, meanwhile, floated as a possible vice presidential candidate after President Rodrigo Duterte publicly declared his support towards the House majority leader.
Duterte said that while running for vice presidency is a “good idea,” he has promised he will support Romualdez should the lawmaker decide to pursue the second-highest post in the country.