Roque bares Sara’s help

Former presidential spokesman Harry Roque has bared that President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio was instrumental in his Senate bid.

Roque said it was Mayor Sara who helped him secure a nomination to run for senator in the 2019 mid-term elections under the People’s Reform Party (PRP) of the late Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago.

“It was mayor Sara who arranged for me to have a CoNA (Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance) from PRP,” Roque said after filing his certificate of candidacy.

Roque said two weeks ago Mayor Sara told him she has already talked to Presidential Adviser on Revenue Enhancement Narciso “Jun” Santiago Jr., the husband of the late senator, about a CoNA.

“But I only talked to Sec. Santiago this week,” he said.

Roque claimed he declined an invitation from ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) to be a part of their senatorial line-up.

“I was offered a seat in PDP, which I am grateful for. But if I am going to run it cannot be as a traditional politician,” Roque said.

The former spokesman said he had no hard feelings for Duterte, who earlier said in a public address that Roque has no chance of winning in the senatorial race.

“No hard feelings. I did not feel offended at any time during my stint as the presidential spokesman. But there were instances where I felt that I could’ve done my job better,” Roque said.