Panelo won’t be surprised if Sara Duterte to become president after her father

February 15, 2019

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio might be the next president after her father President Rodrigo Duterte, a Palace official said on Friday.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo gave his assessment in the wake of Carpio's many supporters, some of them even want her to run for president.

"I will not be surprised if she becomes President of this country after her father," he said in a press briefing.

Panelo noted that former president and now Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is the daughter of late President Diosdado Macapagal, while former President Benigno Aquino III is the son of late President Corazon Aquino.

Some senatorial and local candidates have sought the endorsement for the May elections of Hugpong ng Pagbabago, a Davao-based political party founded and headed by Carpio.

HNP has been supporting the senatorial bid of 13 candidates even if only 12 slots have been at stake.

Carpio has been present in many of the political rallies and events prior and even now that it is a campaign period.

Asked where the presidential daughter has been getting her resources, Panelo said, "there are many admirers of Inday Sara - admirers and supporters."

"In fact there is even a movement launching her to be the next president. Many believed her. They see in her the character of the father: good, intelligent, brave - accordingly even braver than the President. So it's but natural for her friends and their friends to support her causes because they adore Mayor Inday Sara," he explained.

Duterte earlier admitted that Carpio was behind the ouster of then Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who was replaced by Arroyo. Despite Duterte's friendship with Alvarez, he was not able to stop her daughter when she connived with some congressmen to remove Alvarez.

Panelo echoed what Duterte had said that he did not interfere with Sara.

"Mayor Sara has the right to campaign for or against any particular person.  She is a political person. Number two, the President is right, he opted not to interfere, in the first place, he didn’t even know, so how can he interfere...it only shows to us that this President never interfered at all with the happenings/occurrences inside another branch of government," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS