Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor apologized to Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte for “dragging her name” in the heated race for House Speaker.

“Again, I apologize to the good Mayor Inday Sara. I should not have shown the text with her name. It was wrong of me to drag her name unfairly on this matter,” Defensor said in a statement shortly after the Presidential Daughter dared him to name his source.

Defensor also cleared that he did not say the text message, allegedly sent by Sara to several congressmen whom she asked not to be dictated upon by the President’s endorsement for House Speaker, came from the Davao mayor.

“Kaya nananawagan siya ngayon sa lahat ng mga congressmen na bumoto ayon sa kanilang kagustuhan dahil ang kaniyang ama ay na set-up lamang ng mga gahaman na Gabinete na kaalyado kay Cayetano,” read the text message forwarded to Defensor, allegedly from Sara Duterte.

Defensor admitted though that he wanted to talk to Sara to make “last minute requests” for Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez. Sara declined Defensor’s request.

The President has announced he is supporting the term-sharing between Marinduque’s Lord Allan Velasco and Taguig’s Allan Peter Cayetano.