Sara Duterte has ‘personal reasons’ for not joining debates

Vice presidential candidate Sara Duterte-Carpio, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, waves to her supporters during the first day of the campaign period for the 2022 presidential election, at the Philippine Arena, in Bocaue, Bulacan on Feb. 8, 2022. (File photo by LIDA MARIE DAVID / REUTERS)

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Vice presidential bet Sara Duterte-Carpio said Monday she had “personal reasons” for not attending the debates with her fellow candidates.

At a press conference in Davao City, Duterte-Carpio was asked for her reaction to fellow vice presidential candidate Walden Bello calling her a “coward” for not attending the debates organized by CNN Philippines over the weekend.

“Yes, my team and I are currently discussing that item so I will not comment on that as of yet,” Duterte-Carpio said.

Further pressed by the media for a reason for not attending the debates, Duterte-Carpio said she had “personal reasons” that she would rather not disclose to the public for now.

“Yes, I have a reason, but I do not want to say it to the public what the reason is. We are discussing it with my team and drafting a statement. As of now, no comment,” Duterte-Carpio said, speaking partly in Filipino.

“It is something personal and I do not want to say it publicly, and it is a continuing discussion within the team whether I will participate in the debate or not,” she added.

During the CNN Philippines vice presidential debates on Saturday, Bello called out Duterte for not attending the debate and facing her rivals.

“I’m really terribly sorry that Mayor Duterte is not here to face the people. She is a coward just like Bongbong Marcos is a fucking coward,” Bello said, referring to Duterte-Carpio’s running mate, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

“I think the main problem that we face is the Marcos-Duterte tandem. I think they just spat on the face of the Filipino people, telling them you’re not worth my giving you our programs because they have fucking no programs,” Bello added.

Both Duterte-Carpio and Marcos have been criticized for their absence in some of the debates ahead of the elections.

Duterte-Carpio’s spokesperson, Mayor Christina Frasco of Liloan, Cebu, said that the vice presidential candidate would also skip the debates organized by the Commission on Elections.

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