Sara Duterte endorses Mocha Uson, Pia Cayetano for senators

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has thumbed down the idea of running for senator, but instead endorsed two female candidates she said are competent to serve the public.(Photo: City Government of Davao/Facebook)

MANILA — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has thumbed down the idea of running for senator, but instead endorsed two female candidates she said are competent to serve the public.

In a “Tapang at Malasakit” activity in Hongkong, President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter told overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) attending the event that she has no plans to seek a seat in the Senate, and urged them to instead vote for Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson and Deputy Speaker of the House of the Representatives Pia Cayetano.

“Hindi ko kaya iwanan ang mga anak ko. ‘Yun din ‘yung reason kung bakit hindi ako tatakbong senador. Kasi hindi ko, sorry, hindi talaga (I can’t leave my children. That’s the reason why i will not run for senator. Because I can’t, sorry,) Duterte-Carpio said in a speech addressed to the supporters of the President.

“Pero meron akong i-endorse sa inyo, nandiyan si Usec. Mocha Uson at nandyan si Senator Pia Cayetano, sila ang ilagay nating mga Senator (But I am endorsing Usec. Uson and Senator Pia Cayetano, let’s vote for them as senators,” the Davao City mayor added.

In a Facebook post, Uson said she is thankful that the President’s daughter considers her for the Senate post, but stressed she has no plans in running for senator as of now.

“Una sa lahat ako po ay taos pusong nagpapasalamat kay Mayor Inday Sara Duterte sa tiwalang ibinigay niya po sa akin. Ngunit sa ngayon po ay trabaho po muna tayo. Naniniwala ako na ang panawagan sa mas mataas na tungkulin ay isang panawagan mula sa Panginoon (First of all, I would like to thank Mayor Inday Sara Duterte for the trust she has given me. But for now, let’s just work first. I believe that the call for a higher duty is a call from God), Uson said.

It can be recalled that House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, secretary general of the country’s ruling political party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), earlier included the name of Uson in the party’s senatorial slate for the 2019 elections.

Alvarez has also floated the names of Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Davao City Representative Karlo Nograles, and Bataan Representative Geraldine Roman as among the individuals eyed in the party’s senatorial slate.