LIKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTER Sara Duterte (center) with other bigwigs in her Hugpong party—Rep. Antonio “Tonyboy” Floirendo Jr. (third from right), Davao del Norte Gov. Anthony del Rosario (to Sara’s right) and former Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario (to Sara’s left)—during her Tapang at Malasakit meet in Tagum City. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
TAGUM CITY — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio called on officials and politicians in Davao del Norte and the Davao region to join her regional political bloc, Hugpong ng Pagbabago, after the May 14 village and youth council elections in what could be a sign of Sara’s group going national.
While she said she would shun a national position and continue to serve Davao City, she made a joke that had officials, who had joined Hugpong, excited over what could be her bigger role in politics after the 2019 midterm elections.
“I would launch here my bid for the Speakership in the 2019 elections,” she said. “It’s just a joke.”
Carpio had exchanged heated words with Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez after Alvarez was quoted as saying Sara’s Hugpong was shaping up to be an opposition party. Alvarez had denied saying that.
High ranking
Carpio was ranked 4-5 in a Pulse Asia survey of voter preference for possible senatorial candidates.
Candidates for village positions were at the gathering on Thursday here of Sara’s other group, Tapang at Malasakit, which she had formed to support her father, President Rodrigo Duterte.
Also present at the gathering, which drew up to 2,000 participants, were top regional officials and political figures—Davao del Norte Gov. Antonio Rafael del Rosario, Compostela Valley Gov. Jayvee Tyron Uy, Davao del Norte Rep. Antonio “Tonyboy” Floirendo Jr. and his uncle ex-Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario.
Also there were the mayors of towns in Davao del Norte.
During the Tapang at Malasakit event, Sara advised village candidates to shun violence and play fair.
No dignity in cheating
“You cannot defeat all your enemies,” Carpio said, calling for clean and orderly elections on behalf of Tapang at Malasakit.
She said there’s no dignity in winning through fraud and violence. “It’s shameful,” Sara said.
The mayor also advised candidates against paying so-called permit-to-campaign fees being collected from candidates by New People’s Army.
She also urged voters to first check with provincial or town police offices if any of the candidates for village positions were involved in drugs.
Those on the verified police list of individuals involved in drugs should be rejected if they were running for village posts, Sara said.
Candidates should also be mindful of the environment by taking down campaign materials and disposing of these properly, Sara added.
“Don’t leave them for others to clean,” she said. —Frinston Lim