“She did not go trick-or-treating.”
“She did not go trick-or-treating.”
Contrary to skeptics’ suspicion, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio did not come to Cebu City to go trick-or-treating over the weekend.
The Davao City Mayor made it clear once more that she will not run for President in the upcoming elections, dousing persistent belief on both sides of the political fence that she continues to play coy.
Doubting Thomases in the administration still hope while those in the opposition fear that Inday Sara would substitute for Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa as standard bearer of PDP-Laban by November 15.
But why would she join a political party which she aptly described as in utter disarray and lacking able leadership, in the first place?
Like what she said, the jilted PDP-Laban has been reduced to a “situational comedy” with Sen. Manny Pacquiao ending up running under a different banner and Bato filling in as placeholder presidential bet. Bato should drop the blooper and withdraw his candidacy.
Instead of showing interest in vying for president, Inday Sara made the categorical statement that her regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) will support presidential candidate former-senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. (BBM).
In a meeting with BBM in Cebu, Inday Sara disclosed they discussed possible ways the HNP can help in BBM’s campaign, particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao.
What can be a better place to publicly manifest her support for BBM than in the Queen City of the South in the vote-rich Cebu province?
Inday Sara made the anti-climactic pronouncement after she and BBM spoke for several hours at a private residence in Cebu City on Saturday during the birthday celebration of Yedda Romualdez, wife of House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, BBM’s cousin.
The Davao City mayor also met with prominent Cebu province leaders including Gov. Gwen Garcia and Liloan mayor Christina Garcia-Frasco.
There were no indications that Inday Sara might run as BBM’s vice president, either, as she is adamant to complete her term as the Davao City mayor and lead her constituents to recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.
“Don’t forget to campaign for your friend from Davao for mayor,” she was quoted as telling Cebu mayors.
In stark contrast to Ms. Leni Robredo’s failure to “unify the opposition” against the administration, it’s remarkable how Inday Sara’s charisma draws wide support everywhere she goes.
Already the frontrunner in the presidential race, BBM simply stands to gain tremendously from Inday Sara’s backing.
It is important to note that BBM has vowed to pursue the Duterte administration’s major programs, particularly the government vaccination rollout, and spur development of treatment drugs for COVID-19 and other emerging infectious diseases.
BBM, who promised to be a truly “unifying leader,” said he is open to working with vice-presidential candidate Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.
Sen. Bong Go sees himself as “working VP” and shares BBM’s vision of sustainable and inclusive development, as well as national recovery.
Also in Cebu City, BBM said he shuns old politics and would rather focus on unifying the Filipino people during the current crisis and work together for economic recovery.
He noted that the other countries are now slowly opening their economies and recovering from the ill effects of the pandemic.
BBM said Cebu plays a very important role in the country’s economy and promised to continue to develop the island province as an economic hub.
