President Rodrigo Duterte said over the weekend that his daughter Sara was now in charge of the family’s political future.
Duterte, who is almost halfway through his six-year term, said he would soon have no influence over his eldest daughter who succeeded him as Davao City mayor.
“Inday is the one taking the lead… Wala na ako eh. I know that after three years, wala na talaga ako,” Duterte said in a speech delivered in a mix of Bisaya, Tagalog, and English in Cebu City.
“I will no longer be able to run and you will also not be able to tell Inday what to do.”
Meanwhile, Malacañang on Monday slammed journalist Ellen Tordesillas for being critical of President Duterte and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, describing her opinion piece as “nonsensical” and a form of “black propaganda.”
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo made the remark following Tondesillas’ opinion piece titled “Pres. Sara in 2022 is Duterte’s insurance from ICC arrest when he is out of Malacañang.”
In her blog, Tordersillas claimed that the President would be able to escape possible arrest from the International Criminal Court if Carpio succeeded the presidency.
“There is no need to revise the Constitution to allow Duterte to continue being in power after 2022,” Tordesillas said.
“Sara succeeding him in Malacañang will assure Duterte that the International Criminal Court won’t be allowed in the country to arrest him when the case progresses to that stage. He would not have to answer for the extrajudicial killings attributed to him.” Duterte said Davao del Norte 1st District Representative Pantaleon Alvarez felt the influence of Sara, one of his two “very mean” daughters and the “most superior” among his children.
“Have you seen Inday? Alvarez was just kidding around [when he said] but I can also impeach him [the President],” Duterte said.
“So if you will make a joke, don’t joke around with someone who has a father, mother, sibling and children behind her. You better watch out.”
Alvarez was eventually replaced by Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in time for the State-of-the-Nation Address of Duterte.
Duterte praised his daughter for the discipline she implements in Davao City.
“By 12 midnight, it’s as if Davao has closed down. No people will be walking outside by then. Nobody’s smoking or drinking because if Inday sees you, she’ll slap you,” Duterte said.
“If you go to Davao, you have to go about it carefully. I beat people, up too but Inday is worse than me.”