DAVAO CITY — Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said Monday she would no longer push through with her medical leave of absence scheduled on Oct. 5-8 after a person who was supposed to travel with her tested positive for COVID-19.

In a radio interview, Duterte-Carpio said her companion tested positive for COVID-19 during their RT-PCR test Monday morning, prompting the cancellation of their planned trip to Singapore.

"Our trip was canceled because one of our companions tested for COVID-19. It was not me," she said in the local language.

The local chief executive did not give further details about the planned leave and its cancellation.

In April, she went on a 5-day trip to Singapore for "personal health management", which she said was the second of 4 visits there.

She said then that she is scheduled to return to the neighboring country this month and in April 2022.

• Sara Duterte back in Davao, 2 more Singapore trips set

She took a medical leave and went to Singapore last Sept. 28-Oct. 5, 2020.

The cancellation of her planned trip came days after her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, said she would run for president next year, alongside Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go, who filed his candidacy for Vice President under the ruling PDP-Laban party.

Her camp, though, rejected the possibility of her running for the country's highest post under PDP-Laban.

"Mayor Sara has no intention of becoming a member of PDP or of being its standard-bearer now or in the near future," Liloan Cebu Mayor Christina Garcia Frasco, who is Duterte-Carpio's spokesperson, said in a statement.

The Davao City mayor chairs the regional Hugpong ng Pagbabago political party, and is also a member of the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod in Davao City. She has ruled out joining national political parties.

Last Saturday, Duterte-Carpio filed her candidacy in next year's elections for a third consecutive term as Davao City mayor.

• Sara Duterte-Carpio files COC for Davao City mayor

Commission on Elections spokesman James Jimenez said last week that Duterte-Carpio can "technically" join the 2022 polls as a substitute of her father even if she misses the filing of candidacies that closes on Oct. 8.

Substitute contenders can file their candidacies until Nov. 15, provided they are from the same party as the original candidate, said Jimenez.

Asked if a substitute can take oath in the original candidate's party until Nov. 15, Jimenez told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo, "Technically, yes. Puwede."

(It's possible.)

But Duterte-Carpio's younger brother, Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte said he doubts if she will change her mind after she had filed her candidacy for the mayoralty post.

Speaking to reporters after filing his certificate of candidacy again for city vice mayor, Bastes said his sister has always been firm with her decisions.

"Once kasi 'pag may sinabi siya, hindi na siya bumabalik kung ano ang sinasabi niya. Hindi niya binabago. That's what i expected from her. So ganoon lang talaga," he said.

(Once she has said something, she doesn't repeat that anymore. And she doesn't change. it... That's how she is.)

"Sinabi na niya na dati na hindi siya tatakbo, ayaw naman maniwala ng mga tao. Nangyari na yung nangyari," the vice mayor said.

(She had said before that she won't run for president, but the people won't believe her. Now, you saw her file her COC for mayor.)

Addressing supporters of Duterte-Carpio who continue to ask her to run for the country's highest post despite her official filing of candidacy for mayor, Baste said, "Well, if you want to continue what you're doing, then it's up to them. Maybe something miraculous will happen, but i doubt it."

Baste said he will support the decision of his sister, as well as his father's retirement from politics after his term ends in June next year.

"I think it's appropriate kasi may edad na naman yung tatay ko. So kung gusto niyang magpahinga, dito na lang siya sa Davao," Baste said of his 76-year-old father.

(I think it's appropriate because of his age. So, if he wants to retire and rest, he should just stay here in Davao.)

• READ: Duterte announces ‘retirement from politics’

— Reports from Hernel Tocmo

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