BIGGER VEHICLE Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio takes her oath as a member of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats at the Revilla Farm in Silang, Cavite, on Thursday. Administering the oath is House Majority Leader and Lakas-CMD President Martin Romualdez (left), with Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., the party’s chair, as witness. Photo from the Office of Majority Leader Martin Romualdez
MANILA, Philippines — A wedding in Cavite province on Thursday night provided the backdrop for the oathtaking of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio as member of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party, a step that all but confirmed lingering speculations that she would run for president or vice president in the May 2022 elections.
The President’s daughter was sworn in as member of Lakas-CMD, once the ruling party during the term of then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, at the Revilla Farm in Silang, Cavite, where she stood as principal sponsor at the wedding of a daughter of Sen. Ramon “Bong’’ Revilla Jr., the Lakas-CMD chair.
House Majority Leader and Lakas-CMD President Martin Romualdez administered her oath at 6 p.m. The Leyte representative did not say whether she would be the party’s standard-bearer for the 2022 polls.
Resigned from Hugpong
Duterte-Carpio’s oathtaking took place just hours after she resigned from her regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP) and two days after she withdrew her certificate of candidacy (COC) for reelection as Davao City mayor.
She did not respond to the Inquirer’s request for comment when asked if she would run for president or vice president.
Earlier on Thursday, before the Revilla wedding in Cavite, Duterte-Carpio arrived on a private plane at the private Balesin Island resort to attend the 44th birthday party of Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, one of her closest allies.
In an interview with reporters in Silang after the oathtaking, Romualdez said they have not discussed any national position yet for Duterte-Carpio. “(N)o further discussions other than the fact that we have a long-standing invitation to her and it’s been a long time waiting and we are very, very honored, we are delighted, we are so happy to have Mayor Inday Sara Duterte of Davao City,” he said.
Pressed if Duterte-Carpio would be the party’s presidential candidate, the congressman said: “In the coming days, I think we will have to see. We don’t want to preempt anyone, say anything or speculate.”
He said Duterte-Carpio and Arroyo are “very close” and have been talking from time to time.
Romualdez also declined to answer whether there would be a tandem between Duterte-Carpio and former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. “Let us not preempt them. Let them make the decision and make the announcement at the proper time.”
Lakas ‘priority’ bet
Marcos, a cousin of Romualdez, is running for president under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP). Romualdez said an alliance between Lakas-CMD and the PFP was also possible.
In a separate statement, Romualdez noted that Lakas-CMD had produced two presidents —Arroyo and Fidel Ramos.
The party earlier fielded its executive director Anna Capela Velasco and member Lyle Fernando Uy as presidential and vice presidential candidates. It is now possible for Duterte-Carpio to substitute for either of them, and she has until Monday, Nov. 15, to do so.
Prospero Pichay Jr., the party’s secretary general, earlier said Duterte would be their “priority” candidate in case she decides to run for president.
Also present at the wedding were Marcos and Sen. Ronald ‘Bato” dela Rosa, the last-minute choice for standard-bearer of the Cusi faction of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
In a PTV 4 interview on Thursday, Dela Rosa said he would step back from the presidential race if Duterte-Carpio would seek the same post.
In a text message, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, who heads the PDP-Laban faction affiliated with the President, also said Dela Rosa would not run against Mayor Duterte-Carpio for “he has great respect for her.”
‘Profound sadness’
What many have long seen as a political striptease leading to the Nov. 15 deadline for substitutions took a major turn in Davao City on Tuesday, when Duterte-Carpio—after many public statements denying she would seek a national post—withdrew her candidacy as a reelectonist mayor. On the same day, she announced that her brother Baste, the incumbent vice mayor, would be the mayoral candidate instead.
On Thursday, in a handwritten letter addressed to the Hugpong party, Duterte-Carpio wrote: “It is with profound sadness that I hereby tender my resignation from our beloved party. My support will always be with you and I will always be grateful for all the things you have taught me.”