Davao City Mayor Inday Sarah Duterte during the Hugpong ng Pagbabago campaign rally in Mandaluyong City in 2021. INQUIRER file photo / JOAN BONDOC
MANILA, Philippines — Vice presidential candidate Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio is still hopeful that her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, will endorse her tandem with former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Duterte-Carpio said she has not talked or met with President Duterte amid the campaign period, but said that she may see him during family gatherings in March or April.
Asked if she will seek the endorsement of her father for her running mate Marcos, Duterte-Carpio told reporters: “Well yes of course ‘yan ang gusto naming lahat no, na makita yung suporta ni Pangulong Duterte para sa UniTeam (Marcos and Duterte-Carpio tandem).”
(Well of course, that is what all of us wanted to see–that President Duterte to support the UniTeam.)
“But of course he is the President and he is allowed to do and say kung ano yung gusto niya. And we will respect his decision,” Duterte-Carpio added.
(But of course he is the President and he is allowed to do and say what he wants. And we will respect his decision.)
During his Talk to the People briefing earlier this week, President Duterte said he was not supporting any presidential candidate at this time, “unless there is a compelling reason really for me to change my mind and decide to support a candidate.”
The PDP-Laban faction backed by President Duterte has adopted Duterte-Carpio as its vice presidential candidate. However, it has not endorsed any presidential candidate yet—including Marcos who is Duterte-Carpio’s running mate.
In a speech in November 2021, President Duterte said he does not believe in Marcos’ capabilities, even calling the latter a “weak leader.”
“Hindi ako bilib (No trust in him) . He is a weak leader. Totoo yan, di ako naninira ng tao. Talangang weak kasi spoiled child, only son (It’s true, I’m not accusing anybody. He’s just a weak and spoiled child, the only son of the family),” President Duterte said.
READ: Duterte takes jab at Bongbong Marcos anew, calls him ‘weak leader’
President Duterte even endorsed the presidential bid of Senator Bong Go, however, his former special assistant withdrew his presidential bid.
READ: Bong Go formally withdraws from 2022 presidential race