Sara Duterte says she's not running for president, tells supporters to stop campaigning

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte appealed to her supporters to refrain from hanging tarpaulins urging her to run for president next year, standing pat she is not interested in gunning for the country's highest post to be vacated by her father in 2022.

“Sa ngayon, no. There is no chance na magbago ang isip ko. Anong mga rason ko? I do not want to enumerate the reasons, hindi lang ito isa, marami, because hahaba ang usapan at baka maka-offend and may ma-hurt na mga tao,” Sara Duterte said on Maki Pulido’s report on “24 Oras” Wednesday.

“Nagpapasalamat ako sa trust at confidence nila sa akin,” she added.

The mayor topped the survey conducted by OCTA Research on the Filipinos’ preference for next president.

Coming in second choice was Senator Grace Poe followed by Senator Manny Pacquiao.

Duterte also emerged as the top candidate in the vice president race, followed by Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno and Pacquiao.

On Tuesday night, her father, President Rodrigo Duterte again said his daughter will not run for the higher post in 2022.

The president issued the remark after Surigao del Sur Governor Alexander “Ayec” Pimentel urged Duterte to press Sara or Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, his close aide, to run for office.

“Inday Sara is not running. I have really, really put my foot down. Naawa ako sa anak. Ang pulitika nito, kabababuyan,” Duterte said.—Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF, GMA News