Supporters of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Monday urged her to run for president in the 2022 elections regardless of her father’s vice presidential plans.
“I believe that Mayor Duterte is the best person to succeed her father,” said former congressman and President Rodrigo Duterte’s own adviser on political affairs, Secretary Jacinto Paras.
“The need of the country and the clamor of the people for the best leader possible takes precedence over any family commitment that only one Duterte can run for national office,” he added.
Paras described the presidential daughter as having the most experience running an executive office, and is “the most diligent and righteous for the post.”
The Davao City mayor has consistently led the list of top bets for the presidency in all independent surveys conducted so far. Duterte-Carpio, however, said she will no longer seek the highest position, citing a family consensus that only one Duterte will run for a national post.
Deputy Speaker Bernadette Herrera, spokesperson of a citizens’ movement urging Duterte-Carpio to run for president, said the mayor “is the perfect person to lead the country in the next six years due to her experience and genuine empathy for the Filipino people.”
Paras maintained that in hierarchy of values, “what comes first is God, country, then family.”
“If you go into politics, your service is to the nation, to your people,” he said.
“Now if you get increasing leads in all surveys, it’s clear what the people want. In this case, they want a leader who can continue the good projects of her predecessor and lead the country to recovery.”
“One cannot choose the niceties of a family agreement over this higher calling,” he added.
