Roque ‘praying’ Sara Duterte would heed public’s call to run for president

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Thursday said he is praying that Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, would heed the public’s call to run for president.

“Sa ngalan po ng inyong Presidente Rodrigo Roa Duterte, ito po ang inyong spox Harry Roque nananalangin na sana po ‘yung gusto ng nakakaraming Pilipino na tumakbo ng presidente, Sara Duterte, ay dinggin po ang hinaing ng sambayanan,” Roque concluded during the Palace briefing.

(In the name of your President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, this is your spokesperson Harry Roque praying that the call of many Filipinos for Sara Duterte to run for president would be heard.)

Early on in the briefing, Roque was asked what changed the president’s mind to push Sara to run.

The chief executive has been vocal in discouraging Sara to seek the highest position in the country due to politics.

However, recently, Duterte said that he is eyeing Sara to run for president.

“Wala naman po sigurong nagbago. Bilang isang ama, ayaw naman niyang madanasan din ni Mayor Sara ‘yung kumbaga the worst face of politics o   ‘yung mga intriga,” Roque explained.

(Nothing may have changed. As a father, the president does not want Mayor Sara to go through the worst face of politics or those issues.)

“Pero nakita naman po natin na sa mula’t mula po talaga, ako po sinabihan ako ng presidente na gusto niya sanang kandidato ay si Mayor Sara. Pero ang problema nga po eh sa mula’t mula rin, sinasabi ni Mayor Sara na parang ayaw niyang tumakbo,” he added.

(But we saw from the very start, the president told me that he wants Mayor Sara as a candidate. But the problem is from the very start as well, Mayor Sara says that she does not want to run.)

Roque reiterated that he would only vie for senator if Sara would run.

“But, I have hinged my political future to that of Mayor Sara. The president has from the very beginning believed that she is the most able candidate for president and apparently, it’s not just I who agree with him, it’s also the rest of the Filipino people if we are to believe surveys as reflective of the peoples’ sentiments,” the spokesperson said.

“So, all we can say right now is we’re praying for Mayor Sara to make the right decision. But in seeking the guidance of God, be reminded that the voice of the people is the voice of God,” Roque further uttered.

On Saturday, Sara filed her certificate of candidacy for reelection in Davao City.