MANILA— Presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Pacquiao on Thursday said it was the prerogative of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to make political decisions amid talk she would belatedly join the presidential race via substitution.
Duterte-Carpio quit the mayoral race in Davao City on Wednesday and then resigned from her regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago while stepping closer to a potential run for higher office.
"It’s not for me to judge the actions of Mayor Sara," said Pacquiao in a statement.
"Diskarte nila 'yan," said Pacquiao, of the mayor's camp who has been playing coy about her political plans, further driving speculation.
(That's their strategy.)
Pacquiao, who recently patched things up with the mayor's father President Rodrigo Duterte, a former ally, is not bothered that Duterte-Carpio may become one of his rivals for the presidential seat in the 2022 elections.
"Basta kami tuloy-tuloy lang sa aming gawain na ipabatid sa mga tao ang ating mga gustong gawin upang mapabuti ang buhay ng mga mahihirap," said Pacquiao.
"Sa huli ay taumbayan pa rin ang magdedesisyon."
(For us, we will continue with what we do and let the people know our intentions to improve the lives of the poor. In the end, it is the people who will decide.)
Pacquiao recently mended fences with the president months after their public word war and tensions within their political party PDP-Laban, which has since splintered.
Pacquiao is running under a regional party while PDP-Laban fielded Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa in a surprise announcement on the last day of filing of certificates of candidacy.
That PDP-Laban wing, led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, who "kicked out" the senator from the party, meanwhile, pushed for the president to run for the Senate.
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