Sara douses hints of Duterte-Duterte tandem in 2022

MANILA - A Duterte-Duterte tandem will be unlikely in the 2022 elections, as Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio recalled telling her father that she "does not intend" to seek the country's top post.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said Monday she "does not understand" why Malacañang and opposition coalition 1Sambayan are exchanging comments about her supposed plans for next year's elections.

“I do not understand why 1Sambayan and the Palace are playing a slapping game about a Duterte-Duterte tandem. The President already said he does not believe I am fit to be President because I am a woman. Period," she told ABS-CBN News.

In January, President Rodrigo Duterte warned his daughter against running for president in next year’s general election despite leading pre-election surveys.

Duterte-Carpio said she and her father had talked about the presidency a few days prior.

“I went to see him (PRRD) last January 8. I told him I do not intend to run for President, he replied, very good. He also said he did not want me to run but nothing about gender was discussed," she said.

In the lead-up to the 2016 elections, Duterte had repeatedly denied that he would run for president, and yet ran for the country's top post. It could be recalled that Duterte did not file his certificate of candidacy prior the October 2015 deadline but was elected by political party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) to substitute for candidate Martin Dino who withdrew his candidacy.

The president is not eligible for reelection.

The supposed Duterte-Duterte tandem would be an "insult to the Filipino people," 1Sambayan Convenor Howard Calleja earlier said.

"We trust the Filipino people will see this as a selfish move. Nothing to the benefit of the people, but only to perpetuate power to one family," he said.

One of 1Sambayan’s convenors is former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, an aunt of Duterte-Carpio's husband Manases Carpio.

The Davao City mayor last week met with former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, who lost in the 2010 presidential polls, and defeated 2016 vice presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos.

• Sara Duterte will make 'very good president,' says Gibo Teodoro
• Imee Marcos confirms Bongbong, Sara Duterte meeting in Davao, denies discussing 2022 polls

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, among preferred presidential candidates in the latest Pulse Asia survey, lashed out at political dynasties in the country.

“Ayoko pangunahan ang taumbayan sa pagpili ng kanilang lider but I hope they will not be called stupid. Ang posisyon sa gobyerno, hindi minamana. Hindi ko iboboto yon," he said.

(I don't want to preempt the public in choosing their leader but I hope they will not be called stupid. Government positions are not inherited. I will not vote for that.)

Should the Duterte-Carpio succeed her father, it would be the first dynastic succession in the presidency. There were 36 years between the presidencies of Diosdado Macapagal and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and 18 years between the presidencies of Corazon Aquino and Benigno Aquino III.

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