TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Sara Duterte-Carpio, daughter of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, has joined a political party led by former President Gloria Arroyo in what was widely seen as preparation to join the 2022 presidential election, reports said Friday (Nov. 12).
Earlier in the week, she announced she would not be running for a new term as mayor of the southern city of Davao, an office once held by her father. Sebastian Duterte, the vice mayor, is scheduled to succeed her.
Joining Arroyo's party will allow her to run for a national position such as the presidency. This would not have been allowed by law had she remained with her original party, as it is only registered as a regional movement.
A focus of attention in the Southeast Asian nation has been the possibility of an alliance between Duterte-Carpio and presidential hopeful Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of late President Ferdinand Marcos, who was deposed by the People Power revolution of 1986, the Straits Times reported.
Local media have hinted at the two politicians forming a team, with one running for president and the other for vice president. Either that or one of them serving only part of the six-year presidential term to make way for the other.
Under the constitution, President Rodrigo Duterte is not allowed to run for a second term in the May 2022 elections. Until this week, his daughter had said she was not interested in succeeding him, while Marcos relied on the backing of Duterte’s supporters, reports said.
