MANILA (UPDATED) — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Friday rejoined Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), the regional party she founded, just a week after she resigned from the bloc and joined Lakas-CMD, a move that allowed her to run for vice president in 2022 as substitute.

• Sara Duterte quits regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago

Duterte-Carpio took her oath again Friday as the chairperson of HNP in Davao City. She was joined by fellow regional officers of HNP, who are governors of Davao Occidental, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, and Davao de Oro.

• Hugpong 'surprised' by Sara Duterte's departure from party

In a statement, Duterte-Carpio said she was "happy to be home" in the party she founded in 2018.

"I am happy to be home and back into the fold of our beloved Hugpong ng Pagbabago as its chairperson... I call on my HNP colleagues to forge on and build the strongest region we can ever be, in devoted service to the Filipino people," Duterte-Carpio said.

The HNP leadership said they are elated with Duterte-Carpio's return to the party.

"On behalf of the officers and members of HNP throughout Davao region, we welcome back our beloved Mayor Sara. Padayon ta sa paglupad," HNP secretary general Anthony Del Rosario said.

On Nov. 10, Duterte-Carpio resigned from HNP. A day later, on Nov. 11, the Davao City mayor joined Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), which was then accused of putting placeholders.

• Halalan 2022: Sara Duterte joins Lakas-CMD, a step closer to substitution
• EXCLUSIVE: Lakas-CMD official admits filers for president, VP just 'placeholders'

Speculations were proven right when Duterte-Carpio filed her candidacy for vice president on Nov. 13, as substitute of Lakas-CMD bet Lyle Uy.

• #HALALAN2022: Sara Duterte to run for VP under Lakas-CMD

Earlier this week, Duterte-Carpio also took over as chairperson of the LAKAS-CMD, under which she is running for vice president in the 2022 elections.

“I am honored to accept the Chairmanship of Lakas-CMD," Duterte-Carpio said in a statement released by her spokesperson, Liloan, Cebu Mayor Christina Garcia Frasco.

• Sara Duterte is new Lakas-CMD chairperson, replacing Bong Revilla

According to Duterte-Carpio, she holds concurrently the chairmanships of Lakas-CMD and HNP.

RELATED VIDEO:

Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv