Bato dela Rosa on Sara Duterte: Our effort is to change her mind

Efforts are still on to change Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte's mind about not running for president in Eleksyon 2022, Senator Ronald Dela Rosa said on Wednesday.

The standard bearer of a faction of the ruling PDP-Laban said Sara running for president instead of reelection as Davao chief executive was something her father President Rodrigo Duterte could discuss with her.

“She’s been very consistent. Matagal naman niyang sinabi na hindi talaga siyang tatakbo [for president] kaya ang effort natin na baguhin 'yung kanyang stand na 'yan," Dela Rosa said in a virtual interview with reporters.

"She been very consistent na hindi sya tatakbo,” he added.

[She's been very consistent with her statement and she has been saying that she will not run for president that is why our effort is to change her stand, her decision.]

Dela Rosa admitted that he had yet to go on a campaign sortie.

“[Maybe] right after November 15, I will start,” Dela Rosa said.

November 15 is the last day for substituting candidates in Eleksyon 2022.

Dela Rosa cited the health risks brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the reasons why he has not started his campaign yet.

He admitted Sara changing her mind was also a factor.

“Kasama na rin yan [Mayor Sara's decision is also a consideration]," Dela Rosa said.

He said was ready to push through with his presidential candidacy if Sara would not change her decision.

“Ang akin lang naman is kung pwedeng pumalit ang more winnable or in fact, the most winnable among all the presidential bets is si Mayor Inday so okay lang po ako…pero kung tanuning mo sakin kung ang aking intention, 100 percent po,” he said.

[My take is if there is a more winnable candidate, in fact, the most winnable among all the presidential bets, who is Mayor Inday, I can be replaced. But if you want to know my intentions, I am 100 percent sure about my candidacy.]

Last week, Dela Rosa confirmed that he offered his slot as PDP-Laban standard bearer to Mayor Sara during his latest visit at her office.

He said he saw “hope in her eyes” when he made the offer.

Dela Rosa earlier said he was ready to be substituted and give way to Mayor Sara if the latter would decide to run for president in the coming elections.

There had been calls for the presidential daughter to run for president but she has since insisted that she wanted to finish a third and last term as Davao City mayor.

She filed her certificate of candidacy for reelection on October 2. -NB, GMA News