(FILE) President Rodrigo Duterte and Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio. INQUIRER file photos
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Tuesday denied that there is a growing rift between President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter Davao City mayor and vice presidential aspirant Sara Duterte-Carpio when the latter asked her supporters to protect her running mate.
President Duterte earlier called Duterte-Carpio’s running mate, former dictator’s son and namesake Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as a “weak leader” and “a spoiled child.” Following this, the Davao City mayor called on her supporters to protect Marcos.
Asked whether this is a sign of a widening rift between the father and daughter, Cabinet Secretary and acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said it is normal to support different candidates.
“They belong to different political parties at siyempre as with any different political parties, mayroong mga common candidates at may mga candidates na sinusuportahan for other positions ang either party,” he said in a Palace briefing.
(They belong to different political parties and as with different political parties, they have common candidates and there are other candidates they support for other positions.)
“In a political exercise like elections, normal na magkaroon nang ganyan na pagkakaiba na sinusuportahan na kandidato,” he added.
(It is normal to have different candidates to support in a political exercise like the elections.)
President Duterte publicly supports the presidential bid of his long-time aide Senator Bong Go and has endorsed his candidacy along with Duterte-Carpio’s vice presidential run.
He earlier revealed he “did not like” his daughter’s decision to run for vice president, especially when she topped surveys on preferred presidential bets.
“I’m wondering why [since] she is No. 1 in the surveys, and [yet] she consented to run only for vice president. She is the one with the highest ratings,” he earlier said.