Sara Duterte-Carpio said Sunday her decision to run for vice president was a "halfway" point with her supporters who had long urged her to succeed her father, President Rodrigo Duterte. It's a decision that the elder Duterte said he couldn't understand.
Duterte-Carpio, who dropped her reelection bid for Davao City mayor, shouldn't be running for vice president when she is ahead in opinion polls for president, Duterte said, adding that presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos could be behind his daughter's decision to be number two.
"I have thousands of supporters who cried last Oct. 8 and I cannot find it in my heart to make them cry again on Nov. 15," Duterte-Carpio said referring to the deadline for candidate substitution on Monday.
"After the deadline, the offer to run for Vice President became an opportunity to meet you halfway. It's a path that would allow me to heed your call to serve our country, and would make me a stronger person and public servant in the years that lie ahead. I am here to answer your call," she said.
The elder Duterte told pro-administration blogger Banat By: "Siya ang number 1 sa survey, bakit siya pumayag na tatakbo lang na bise? Siya yung mataas ang rating," he said.
The only son and namesake of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos' camp has adopted the Davao City mayor as his running mate. They belong to different political parties.
"I'm sure yung pagtakbo ni Sara ay desisyon nila Bongbong yun... Bakit ka tatakbo ng bise presidente na alam mo na mas lamang ka? May view ka na in advance na malakas ka," the elder Duterte said.
ALSO READ:
Duterte vs Duterte for VP? Bongbong-Sara Final? Substitutions at Crunch Time
Swiftie VP Leni is 'Feeling 22' as Dutertes Do the Substitution Dance
Duterte-Caprio filed her candidacy for vice president Saturday through a representative. Later that day, her father accompanied his top aide, Sen. Bong Go, in filing his candidacy for president and said that he would file his candidacy for vice president on Monday.
Duterte-Carpio asked her supporters to stay calm and called on her father's partymates in PDP-Laban to resolve their issues among themselves. She previously said she would not run for a national post under that party.
"This is all politics and this will not matter in five years, or even now when what we need to focus on is our country's recovery and the people's welfare. So let us be circumspect and stay the course, focused on forging relationships to unite for the good of our country," she said.
MORE POLITICS EXPLAINED:
Teleserye of Dynasty Politics in the Philippines, Explained
#LetLeniLead, #RunSaraRun: Politics of Public Clamor, Explained
Sara Duterte is Her Father's 'Alpha,' How Far Can She Flex Her Power?
Reportr is now on Quento. Download the app or visit the Quento website for more articles and videos from Reportr and your favorite websites.
