Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has rejected the feelers of the divided PDP-Laban for her to become the standard bearer of the Cusi-led wing.
“Mayor Sara has no intention of becoming a member of PDP or of being its standard-bearer now or in the near future,” said Liloan Cebu Mayor Christina Garcia Frasco, the mayor’s spokesperson.
Duterte-Carpio is the chairperson of the regional political party Hugpong ng Pagbabago and a member of the local party Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod in Davao City.
She filed her candidacy for a third and final term as Davao City mayor on the same day that Senator Christopher Go filed his COC as vice presidential candidate of the PDP-Laban faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.
Cusi earlier said joining the PDP-Laban remains an option for the Davao City mayor.
“That is a possibility, she can opt to join PDP. That will be an open option. We can adopt a candidate who is aligned with our advocacies. It can happen,” Cusi said hours before the mayor’s camp issued the statement flatly rejecting the offer.
Sara’s brother, Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte, said his sister is not likely to withdraw her COC as mayoralty candidate.
“Once she has said something, she does not go back on her word. She doesn’t change. it. That’s how she is,” he said.
“She had said before that she won’t run for president, but the people won’t believe her. Now, you saw her file her COC for mayor,” he added.