Roque: Sara Duterte most qualified, most prepared to seek presidency in 2022

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is the “most qualified” and the “most prepared” official who can lead the nation and succeed her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, after the 2022 elections, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Friday.

Roque’s remarks came after the Chief Executive declared anew that he is discouraging the younger Duterte from joining the presidential race in 2022, even saying that the highest government post is “not for women.”

Sought for comment, Roque said he thinks Duterte-Carpio will “make the right decision” whether she will seek the highest government post in 2022.

“For me, I think Mayor Inday Sara is the most qualified and most prepared. As the survey shows, if she will run for the presidency, she will win,” Roque said, referring to a commissioned poll conducted by Pulse Asia on November 23 to December 2.

“And in my opinion, Inday Sara will make the right decision at the right time that will benefit her father and the entire nation,” Roque said in vernacular.

The President on Thursday claimed that his daughter is being egged on to seek the presidency in the 2022 elections.

Duterte made the pronouncement in a speech at the inauguration of the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 in Quezon City, where he appealed to the public to choose the next Philippine leader in 2022 who can “forcefully” fight corruption.

“They are egging on my daughter to seek the presidency. I said, ‘My daughter is not running.’ I have told Inday not to run because I’ll pity her if she will experience what I had,” Duterte said in a speech.

“This (presidency) is not for women. You know, the emotional setup of a woman and a man is totally different. You will be an a*sh*le here. That is the sad story,” he added.

This was not the first that Duterte publicly discouraged his daughter from seeking the presidency, although he has repeatedly praised her political influence.

He once cited her role in the ouster of Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez as House Speaker in 2018.

Duterte-Carpio had also endorsed the speakership of Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, who ousted Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano from the Lower Chamber’s helm last year.

The younger Duterte has neither confirmed nor denied plans to seek the presidency in 2022, saying her decision would depend on the circumstances.

She currently leads the regional political party “Hugpong ng Pagbabago.”