Sara Duterte says she skipped MisOcc campaign stop due to security concerns

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte said she skipped the Hugpong ng Pagbabago campaign stop in Tangub, Misamis Occidental on Wednesday due to a security issue.

“Yes [it was about security]. They did not tell me why, sinabi na lang nila na the order came from the highest officer of the PSG [Presidential Security Group],” said Duterte, the President's daughter and the campaign manager of administration slate HNP.

“PSG does not easily share information...they just say na puede [pumunta] o hindi puede,” she added.

One of the bloodiest police anti-drug operations under the Duterte administration occurred in Misamis Occidental in July 2017, when Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, his wife Susan, and 13 others were killed in a 2:30 a.m. raid on their residence.

Ozamiz City Vice Mayor Nova Parojinog, the mayor's daughter, was arrested in the same operation.

‘Something came up’

Sara Duterte was supposed to make a pitch for administration candidates during the Tangub campaign rally on Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. She and her staff left Sindang, Zamboanga del Norte on her motorcycle around 6:30 a.m. for the Tangub campaign stop.

Members of the mayor's staff later informed journalists that Duterte could not make it to the campaign stop in Tangub because "something came up."

She returned on the campaign trail a day later in Pagadian.

Upon her arrival, Duterte addressed the crowd outside the Pagadian gymnasium who were watching the campaign rally via wide LED screen, thanking them for their support for President Rodrigo Duterte during the 2016 elections.

The crowd outside cheered Sara on, chanting "Duterte, Duterte, Duterte."

She then spoke to the crowd inside the gymnasium to campaign for HNP candidates before facing journalists for an interview.

She also apologized to the people of Misamis Occidental for her absence and promised to make it up to them.

Prior to her absence in Tangub, the last time Duterte skipped the campaign stage was when HNP candidates barnstormed the provinces of the Bicol Region.

Her brother, Sebastian, said at the time that she had to take a break from campaigning to take care of her sick child. — BM, GMA News