Sara Duterte thanks supporters for funding ad about her

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Wednesday thanked a group of her supporters for funding an advertisement featuring her work less than two weeks before the start of filing of candidacy for Eleksyon 2022.

“Maraming salamat po sa Ituloy ang Pagbabago Movement para sa videong 'Inday Will Always Love You.' Nakakataba ng puso ang mensahe sa videong ito [Many thanks to the IPM for the video 'Inday Will Always Love You.' It warms my heart],” she said on her verified Facebook page.

“Kahit nasaan man tayo sa mundo, kahit saan, ano man position man tayo manungkulan, magkaisa tayo sa pagtulong sa ating kapwa at sa pagmamahal sa ating Pilipinas [Wherever we are in the world, regardless of our position, we should help each other and love our country],” she added.

Mayor Christina Frasco of Liloan, Cebu, who serves as Duterte's spokesperson, said that the advertisement was indeed funded by the IPM.

Frasco, however, did not comment on the query on what makes the advertisement necessary given that Duterte already said she is not running for President in the 2022 polls.

“The video indicates that it was paid for by Ituloy ng Pagbabago Movement showing their continued support of Mayor Sara Duterte notwithstanding her decision, and for which Mayor Sara is grateful,” Frasco told GMA News Online.

Last August, Duterte denied ties to a certain "PSI Manager Gino," Bong Acquia, TG Ponce, and a supposed political coordinator of Ituloy Ang Pagbabago Movement (IPM) who were caught on video making arrangements to use an airplane at the Davao International Airport, supposedly to transport her campaign materials.

"I do not know the persons in the video. I am not a member of and not privy to IPM activities," Duterte said then.

The Davao City mayor then "sternly" warned even her supporters against the use of her name in their personal transactions, saying that she has pursued a case for name-dropping, and supported a case against an organized crime group of supposed money scammers using her name in their fraudulent activities.

"I do not tolerate these activities and I will not hesitate to pursue legal action against those who besmirched my reputation even if they are supporters," the Davao City Mayor added. — BM, GMA News