President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and her daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte (File photo)
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday said his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara “Inday” Duterte has no plans of being his successor in 2022 because she wants to focus on raising her three children.
In a press conference in Pasay City, Duterte said Sara told him that she would not rush herself into running for the country’s highest post anytime soon.
“Si Sara ayaw because may anak kasi yan tatlo. Maliliit pa. Gusto niya na magfocus muna siya sa family. Sabi niya sa akin, marami pa namang panahon (Sara doesn’t want to run because she has three kids who are still young. She wants to focus on her family. She told me that there’s still much time),” Duterte said.
While speaking to him, he said Sara even borrowed his own quote: “She used my favorite statement. Sabi niya, kung gusto rin ng Diyos maging presidente ako kagaya ng sa iyo, magiging presidente ako (She said, if God wants me to be president like you, I’ll be president).”
Duterte went on to say that the presidency is “a gift from God.”
He said Sara does not want to run for president because after her term, she would have trouble looking for another job.
“Ayaw niya ngayon. Sabi niya, kung magpresidente siya, just assuming, assuming after six years, bata pa siya, anong gawin niya? As an ex-president, hindi siya makatrabaho, hindi siya makaappear ng korte (She doesn’t want it now. She said, if she becomes president, just assuming, assuming after six years, she’d still be young, what would she do? As an ex-president, she won’t get to have another job, she can’t appear before court),” he said.
Duterte said being president did not even earn him a lot of money.
“At sabi ko mabuti sana kung maganda yung suweldo, makapag-ipon siya. Pero wala ka namang ambisyon. Diyan ka lang, trabaho (And I said, it’s good if it pays well, she’d be able to save. But since you don’t have any ambitions. Just stay there, just work),” he added.
Last Feb. 24, Duterte maintained that he opposed the idea of letting his daughter follow his footsteps.
“Inday Sara is not running. I have really, really put my foot down," he said.
Sara has repeatedly said she has no plan to run for president in 2022 despite mounting calls for her to join the presidential race.
She has also told her supporters that she might only be convinced to seek the presidency by 2034. (PNA)
