Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio will run for president in next year's election and her father's long-time aide, Sen. Bong Go, who filed his vice presidential candidacy, will be her running mate, President Rodrigo Duterte said Saturday.
Duterte-Carpio filed on Saturday to run for mayor again. She has previously said she would not run for national office next year.
ABS-CBN News said it obtained permission from broadcast journalist Rey Langit to use the video showing Duterte outside Sofitel in Manila where the registration of candidates was taking place, and that a transcript was also provided.
The 76-year-old leader accompanied Go in filing his certificate of candidacy for vice president, during which he also announced his retirement from politics.
He was asked: "So is it clear, Sara-Go?"
"It is Sara-Go," Duterte said in response.
Duterte-Carpio, her spokesperson and Go did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
In the same clip, Duterte was asked when his daughter would file her candidacy for president, he said: "I really do not know. I do not have any idea at all".
Asked if he had given his daughter permission to run for president, he said: "Ah, no, actually we don't talk about politics, ever since we never talk about politics. I would say that it is for the better," Duterte was quoted as saying.
ABS-CBN said Duterte-Carpio's spokesperson, Liloan Mayor Christina Garcia Frasco responded "no comment" when asked about Duterte said.
Duterte, 76, said on Saturday he was retiring from politics a surprise move that fuelled speculation he was clearing the way for a presidential run by his daughter.
He had been expected to run for the No. 2 job, a plan most Filipinos oppose as violating the spirit of the constitution which sets a one-term limit for the president to stop power being abused.
Duterte-Carpio's mayorial re-election filing, did little to douse speculation she has her eye on the presidency.
Political analysts were sceptical, noting that last-minute changes were still possible, as in 2015 when Duterte entered the presidential election race at the eleventh hour and won by a huge margin, and Duterte-Carpio, they said, could do the same.
Candidates have until Oct. 8 to register, but withdrawals and substitutions are allowed until Nov. 15, leaving scope for last-minute changes of heart.
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