Citing fatigue, Sara Duterte mulls leaving Hugpong

KORONADAL CITY — With less than a month before the May 13 midterm elections, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte is mulling leaving Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) where she is campaign manager, citing fatigue as reason.

"Sa totoo lang, ngayon pa lang, pinag-iisipan ko na talaga na iwanan 'yung HNP kasi napagod na 'ko talaga sa election na ito," Sara said on Wednesday at the sidelines of HNP's campaign stop here.

"Kasi lahat sila nakatingin sa akin, lahat sila nag-aantay sa akin," she said, adding this is the reason why she is not in favor of turning HNP — a regional party she formed with four governors in the Davao region — into a national party. 

While she has yet to make a final decision, Sara, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, admitted underestimating the rigors of mounting a national campaign.

"Akala ko kasi, madali lang. Sa Davao [region] naman kasi, medyo madaling kausap ang mga politicians. Pero pag ganyan na pala kalaki, tapos iba-iba ang karakas ng mga tao, mahirap na pala siya," she said.

"Hindi ko alam kung anong mangyayari sa amin after [the elections],” Sara added.

Sara particularly cited a situation where two candidates running for the same post are seeking HNP’s endorsement, as was the case in the mayoral race in one of the towns in Davao del Sur.

“Kasi sinasabihan namin sila na kung pwede isa lang ang tumakbo, tatakbo na lang sa tingin natin ‘yung may mataas na chance na manalo but medyo... kasi, meron din naman freewill ang mga tao. Democracy naman [tayo],” Sara said.

“Sinasabi naming sa kanila na meron kaming area sa HNP sa Region 11 na dito may dalawa ang tumatakbo, tinatanong namin sila kung okay lang sa kanila na dalawa sila, sabi nila, okay lang. Kaya meron kaming area na nagiging free zone.”

Sara and fellow HNP founder, Davao del Norte Governor Anthony del Rosario, earlier said that HNP’s fate as a political party depends on the success of its candidates in the May elections from senators to councilors.

“Test case naming ito (May polls) because this is the first election for Hugpong ng Pagbabago," Sara said two days ago.

While HNP is registered as a regional party, various local parties across the country and at least four national parties — Nacionalista Party, National Union Party, Nationalist People’s Coalition and Lakas-CMD — have forged an alliance with it.

HNP's number of allies even allowed it to form a coalition composed of 13 Senate bets from various parties — one more than the required 12 Senate seats in May. —KBK, GMA News