Sara’s presidential ambition doomed

‘PDP-Laban pushes for Go-Duterte tandem’

DAVAO CITY Mayor Sara Duterte has abandoned her presidential ambition after her father President Rodrigo Duterte accepted the nomination of his own political party, the PDP-Laban, to run as vice president.

The ageing president has chosen his long-time aide-turned-politician Senator Bong Go as his presidential candidate over his daughter. The PDP-Laban also endorsed Go as Duterte’s running mate in next year’s polls.

But there are fears that Go may resign if he wins the presidency to the pave way for Duterte to stay in power and protect him from the investigation of the International Criminal Court on his bloody war on drugs that had killed thousands of people.

In a television interview, Sara said the PDP-Laban endorsement of her father “turned out the way the Cusi Faction wanted it to go down,” adding “it does not affect any of my plans but as we both agreed only one from the family will run for a national position.”

With Duterte accepting the nomination, Sara said: “I am not running for a national position as we both agreed only one of us will run for a national position in 2022.” 

She admitted that her father’s decision to seek the vice presidency was all part of Duterte’s plan. “From the last time PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) and I talked, this was their Plan A. The Plan B was for SBG (Senator Bong Go) to run as VP (vice president),” Sara, who founded the regional political party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), said. 

When asked whether she and her party would support or help the PDP-Laban just as she did in 2019 local polls, Sara said: “No. I will not share my light this time.” 

She also said that her relationship with Duterte is the same as it was despite his decision to run in the elections and previous statement that he would give way to Sara if she decides to seek the presidency on the condition that Go is her running mate. “(My relationship with my father is) the same as it was before. Our politics do not interfere with our familial relationship. Iba ang trabaho, iba ang pamilya. Walang personalan,” she said. 

Sara also thanked her supporters and said “I am happy we are united in our desire to see a better Philippines in the future. I will be eternally thankful for your trust and confidence.” 

Governorssupport Duterte’s VP bid

At least 40 out of 81 provincial governors are also supporting Duterte’s vice presidential bid so he can continue what he started when he won the presidency in 2016, according to Melvin Matibag, the PDP-Laban Secretary General.

Matibag released to the Mindanao Examiner a list of governors supporting Duterte’s vice presidential candidacy and they are the following: Governors Sakur Tan – Sulu; Jose Alvarez - Palawan; Dale Corvera - Agusan Norte; Damian Mercado – Southern Leyte; Humerlito Dolor - Oriental Mindoro; Dakila Cua – Quirino; Nancy Catamco – Cotabato; Arthur Yap – Bohol; Edgardo Tallado - Camarines Norte; Wilter Palma - Zamboanga Sibugay; Francisco  Matugas - Surigao Norte; Jim Salliman -  Basilan; Reynolds Michael Tan – Samar; Esteban Contreras – Capiz; Edwin Ong - Northern Samar; Dominic Petilla – Leyte; Roger Espina – Biliran; Antonio Kho – Masbate; Imelda Dimaporo - Lanao del Norte; Vic Yu - Zamboanga del Sur; Philip Tan - Misamis Occidental; Ayik Pimentel - Surigao del Sur; Jecoy Villa – Siquijor; Pacoy Ortega - La Union.

And Joel Degamo - Negros Oriental; Joseph Cua – Catanduanes; Eduardo Gadiano - Occidental Mindoro; Samuel Gumarin – Guimaras; Steve Solon – Sarangani; Jun Ebdane – Zambales; Migs Villafuerte - Camarines Sur; Mariam Mangudadatu – Maguindanao; Suharto Mangudadatu- Sultan Kudarat; Samuel Gumarin – Guimaras; Joe Riano – Romblon Rodora Cadiao – Antique; Al Francis Bicharado – Albay; Bonifacio Lacwasan - Mountain Province; Florencio Miraflores – Aklan and Ben Evardone - Eastern Samar.

Matibag said if Duterte wins as vice president, he could influence his successor to pursue his war on drugs, his Build, Build, Build infrastructure plan, projects for the poor, and his post-Covid 19 pandemic economic recovery roadmap, among other programs. 

“Despite the inroads in the campaign against illegal drugs, the drug menace continues to persist. Indeed, this problem is no longer confined to urban areas; it has spread to the countryside. The next administration, with the help of President Duterte, should relentlessly pursue the war on drugs,” he said. 

He also released a collective statement from the governors, saying: “We, provincial governors, are witness to the gains of the Build, Build, Build program. New road networks, school buildings, airports, seaports, medical facilities, and river protection and drainage systems have mushroomed in the provinces, generating economic activities, jobs and income for our people. We have to continue building and improving infrastructure to speed up urban and rural development.”

“The nation was on a high economic growth path until the pandemic struck in early 2020. It’s unfortunate that Covid-19 derailed economic progress. But with President Duterte’s guiding hand, the next leadership could do it. The President’s war on drugs, his campaign against corruption, his prudent use of government resources, and his incessant pursuit of good governance will all contribute to a post-pandemic environment conducive for faster economic growth. We hope and pray that the next President and President Duterte as his Vice President could work together in making life better for our people.”

The governor of Sulu, a friend and a close political ally of Duterte, said his municipal mayors and constituents are all behind Duterte and cited the president’s leadership and concerns for the poor, and the government peace and development efforts not only in his province, but the entire Muslim autonomous region. 

“Alam mo kaya gusto ko si President Duterte tumakbong vice president kasi as far as Sulu is concerned, napakaganda na ngayon ng Sulu. Tahimik, walang kidnapping, wala lahat, puro development ngayon. Kailangan may continuity, kung mawala yun continuity babalik na naman kami sa gulo,” Tan said.

The government’s anti-insurgency and peace and development campaign in Sulu has drastically reduced the number of Abu Sayyaf members due to the mass surrender of militants under the auspices of the provincial government and the Task Force to End Local Armed Conflict. (Mindanao Examiner)