Marriage of forces: Sara leaves the regional party for Lakas

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BIGGER VEHICLE Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is sworn in as a member of the Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats at Revilla Farm in Silang, Cavite on Thursday. House majority leader and Lakas-CMD chairman Martin Romualdez (left) is sworn in, with party chairman Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. as a witness. Photo of the office of majority leader Martin Romualdez

MANILA, Philippines – A wedding in Cavite province on Thursday night served as the backdrop for the swearing-in of Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio as a member of the Lakas-Christian Democrats Muslim Party (Lakas-CMD ), a step that almost confirmed lingering speculation that she would run for president or vice-presidency in the May 2022 elections.

The president’s daughter was sworn in as a member of Lakas-CMD, once the ruling party during President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s tenure, at the Revilla Farm in Silang, Cavite, where she was the main godmother at the wedding from a daughter of Sen Ramon “Bong ” Revilla Jr., President Lakas-CMD.

House majority leader and Lakas-CMD chairman Martin Romualdez was sworn in at 6 p.m. Leyte’s representative did not say whether she would be the party’s flag bearer for the 2022 election.

Hugpong resignation

Duterte-Carpio’s swearing-in came just hours after his resignation from his regional Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP) party and two days after withdrawing his certificate of candidacy (COC) for his re-election as mayor of Davao.

She did not respond to the Inquirer’s request for comment when asked whether she would run for president or vice-president.

Earlier Thursday, ahead of Revilla’s wedding in Cavite, Duterte-Carpio arrived in a private plane to the private resort on Balesin Island to attend President Lord Allan Velasco’s 44th birthday party, one of his most close allies.

In an interview with reporters in Silang after the swearing-in, Romualdez said they had yet to discuss a national position for Duterte-Carpio. “(N) no further discussion other than the fact that we have a long standing invitation for her and have been waiting for a long time and we are very, very honored, we are delighted, we are so happy to have the mayor Inday Sara Duterte from Davao City, ”he said.

Pressed if Duterte-Carpio would be the party’s presidential candidate, the MP said: “In the coming days, I think we’ll have to see. We don’t want to get ahead of anyone, say anything or speculate.

He said Duterte-Carpio and Arroyo were “very close” and spoke to each other from time to time.

Romualdez also declined to answer whether there would be a tandem between Duterte-Carpio and former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. “Let’s not get ahead of them. Let them make the decision and make the announcement at the right time.

Lakas’ “priority” bet

Marcos, a cousin of Romualdez, is a candidate for the presidency of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP). Romualdez said an alliance between Lakas-CMD and the PFP was also possible.

In a separate statement, Romualdez noted that Lakas-CMD had produced two presidents – Arroyo and Fidel Ramos.

The party had previously presented its executive director Anna Capela Velasco and member Lyle Fernando Uy as presidential and vice-presidential candidates. It is now possible for Duterte-Carpio to replace one of them, and she has until Monday, November 15 to do so.

Prospero Pichay Jr., the party’s general secretary, said earlier that Duterte would be their “priority” candidate in case she decides to run for president.

Also present at the wedding were Marcos and Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, the last minute choice for the Cusi faction flag bearer of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

In an interview with PTV 4 on Thursday, Dela Rosa said he would step down from the presidential race if Duterte-Carpio ran for the same post.

In a text message, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, who heads the PDP-Laban faction affiliated with the president, also said Dela Rosa would not run against Mayor Duterte-Carpio because “he has great respect for her. “.

“Deep sadness”

What many have long seen as a political striptease leading up to the Nov. 15 deadline for replacements took a major turn in Davao City on Tuesday, when Duterte-Carpio – after numerous public statements denying she would run for office national – withdrew his candidacy as reelectorist mayor. On the same day, she announced that her brother Baste, the outgoing vice mayor, would be the mayoral candidate instead.

On Thursday, in a handwritten letter to the Hugpong party, Duterte-Carpio wrote: “It is with deep sadness that I hereby present my resignation from our beloved party. My support will always be with you and I will always be grateful for everything you taught me.

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