The President’s son, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, said he is not closing his doors to other political parties which would want to have him as adopted member if it could be a better way of serving the people.
Duterte made the statement as he thanked the National Unity Party for taking him in the party which appeared to be the largest political party at the House of Representatives after the ruling PDP-Laban’s membership reportedly has started to decrease.
“I am honored to have been adopted by the National Unity Party, one of the biggest political organizations in the country,” Duterte said in a statement issued Wednesday.
“To all other political groups out there, I am still up for adoption. If being adopted by most, if not all, political parties is to be of service to the people, then I am more than willing to join all of you,” he said.
As deputy speaker for political affairs, Duterte vowed to be a “[unifying force to] all members of Congress towards a common goal—that is to improve the lives of the Filipino people.”
“I am new to this national political arena, yet many of my colleagues wanted me to join their respective political groups,” Duterte said.
“In unity there is strength. Let us show the Filipino people that we can all be united towards one common goal. This would be a first in Philippine politics, and it happened under the Duterte administration,” he said.
Duterte did not attend the NUP meeting last Tuesday amid talks that he was not inclined to recognize the term-sharing agreement brokered by his father between Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano of Taguig and Pateros and Marinduque Rep. Lord Alan Velasco.