Sara Duterte meets ex-president Arroyo for ‘consultations’

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Wednesday met with former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo "for further consultations."

"Yes, I had lunch with FPGMA. No comment on other matters," Duterte told GMA News Online, adding that she met with Arroyo in a hotel in Manila.

In a tweet from GMA News reporter Tina Panganiban Perez, the presidential daughter's meeting was part of "continuing consultations" with Arroyo.

Davao Occidental Governor Claude Bautista of Hugpong ng Pagbabago, Sara's party, was also present in the meeting.

Duterte and her father President Rodrigo Duterte were the most preferred candidates for president and vice president, respectively, 

The Davao City mayor earlier said she will not run for the highest government post in the country. But last week, she revealed that she is open to join the presidential race in next year's polls.

Meanwhile, senators Sonny Angara and Imee Marcos said Sara and would be the candidates to beat in the presidential and vice presidential race in Eleksyon 2022.

“Mayor Sara and [President Rodrigo Roa Duterte] are the candidates to beat in 2022,” Angara said in a text message to GMA News Online.

Angara said incumbent presidents tend to lose their popularity five years into their term, but Duterte has “bucked the trend” as he still enjoys high popularity ratings.

“The only thing that can derail his chosen successor is the failure to unite behind a single candidate, similar to how the people of [President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III] backed different candidates in 2016,” Angara said.

Marcos said there was no doubt that the Dutertes lead the preferred presidential and vice presidential candidates for 2022.

She, however, noted of Mayor Sara’s refusal to be her father’s running mate.

“Sin duda naman yun, ang mag amang [Duterte] ang pinakamalakas na kandidato! Kaya lang, nasabi na ni Mayor Sara na ‘di raw siya makiki-tandem sa ama niya. Abangan ang susunod na kabanata?” Imee, a close ally of Sara, told GMA News Online in a separate text message. — BM, GMA News