DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said she has no plans in seeking for senatorial position despite getting positive survey results.
In an interview on Sunday during the Pamulak sa Kadayawan, the city mayor said she plans to pursue reelection to accomplish her administration’s high priority projects.
A recent survey of Pulse Asia’s latest Ulat ng Bayan conducted last June 15-21 showed Duterte landing in 3rd-5th place, with 46.2 of respondents saying they would vote for her as senator.
“Definitely I will not be running for senator this coming 2019 election,” said Mayor Sara.
House speaker Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has recently said that the young Duterte is poised to become an “important national figure” and is a “Rising star” borrowing the words of Senator Panfilo Lacson.
When asked by the media on why the Hugpong ng Pagbabago political party’s senatorial slate is still incomplete, the mayor said in Davao region will endorse eight senatorial bets.
As for her personal endorsement, the mayor said: “I can say no to all who helped my father’s candidacy last presidential election.”
The mayor also added that they still had to discuss with the family regarding the plans of her brothers, Paolo Duterte who is rumored to run as representative of the 1st district of Davao City, and Sebastian Duterte.
No need to disclose
In the same interview, the mayor answered issues surrounding the health condition of President Rodrigo Duterte saying “the president is very transparent with regard to his health. If he is not feeling well, he will tell it and if he’s energetic he tells it also. So there is no need for disclosure on his health status.”
On July 22, it was reported that a day before his State of the Nation Address the president dropped by in the hospital to have his “routine medical check-up.”
Communist Party of the Philippines founding Chairman Jose Maria Sison has said President Duterte is in a coma.
He posted it in his Facebook account on Sunday evening saying that those who saw Duterte during the national convention of his San Beda Law fraternity Lex Talionis Fraternitas on Saturday “reported that the darkness of his face had become aggravated from its appearance the other day and that his walk and handshake had become more unstable.”
Transparency about the President’s health is enshrined in the 1987 Constitution, specifically in Section 12 of Article VII which reads:“In case of serious illness of the President, the public shall be informed of the state of his health. The members of the Cabinet in charge of national security and foreign relations and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines shall not be denied access to the President during such illness.” (davaotoday.com)
