It is possible for Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to run for a national post in the upcoming 2022 polls but not under her regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Wednesday.
Although HNP is a political party, it is only for regional, according to Comelec spokesman James Jimenez.
On Tuesday, Duterte-Carpio withdrew her reelection bid as mayor of Davao City and said she will be endorsing her brother Vice Mayor Sebastian 'Baste' Duterte to be her successor.
Baste also withdrew his candidacy as a reelectionist on Tuesday before Sara did, and he nominated Davao City Councilor Melchor Quitain Jr. as his substitute.
According to Jimenez, the presidential daughter must be a member of the same political party as the person she will substitute for in order to be eligible for a national candidacy.
Under Article IX, Section 77 of Omnibus Election Code: “If after the last day for the filing of certificates of candidacy, an official candidate of a registered or accredited political party dies, withdraws or is disqualified for any cause, only a person belonging to, and certified by, the same political party may file a certificate of candidacy to replace the candidate who died, withdrew or was disqualified.”
If Sara decides to run for a national post in the 2022 polls, she can choose from two political parties: Lakas-CMD and PDP-Laban, which both showed their support for her possible candidacy.
Previously, Lakas-CMD secretary-general Prospero Pichay admitted fielding their members for both presidential and vice-presidential posts. A certain Anna Capela Velasco as its presidential candidate and another equally unknown member named Lyle Fernando Uy for its vice-presidential post.
On the other hand, PDP-Laban, a party led by President Duterte, has previously urged Sara to run for the presidency.
Sen. Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa and Christopher 'Bong' Go are the standard-bearers of the party for the presidential-vice presidential posts.
The deadline for substitution for party candidates is until Monday, November 15.
Jimenez said so far nobody has filed a substitution yet for the presidential and vice-presidential posts.
