MANILA — Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte appears ready to face off against his daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, in a bid for the vice presidency next year — the latest development in a competitive, unpredictable race.
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A spokeswoman confirmed the younger Duterte’s candidacy for vice president on Saturday. Shortly afterward, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the son of a dictator who ruled the country for two decades, posted that his party would adopt and endorse her — which would effectively make her his running mate.
Also Saturday, presidential communications secretary Martin Andanar told the local press that Duterte-Carpio’s father would run against her and would file his candidacy on Monday. The older Duterte has previously announced his retirement from politics several times.
Sara Duterte-Carpio, whose father, Rodrigo Duterte, is the current Philippine president, filed her candidacy for vice president on Nov. 13. (Reuters)
Duterte-Carpio had yet to publicly accept the resolution from Marcos’s camp. The Dutertes and Marcoses are two of the most formidable political dynasties in a country where governance is fraught with corruption and patronage. The developments send mixed signals both to their supporters and critics, but nothing is certain until the deadline for candidacy substitutions closes on Monday.
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In the Philippines, presidents are only allowed single terms, while vice presidents are allowed two. Voters cast separate ballots for president and vice president — which means the positions can be held by politicians from rival parties.
Although Duterte-Carpio seeking a national position comes as no surprise, analysts initially expected her to pursue the presidency after topping early surveys. Her father is likely to tandem with his former aide, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, and analysts say both Duterte-Carpio or Go would be likely to shield the older Duterte from an investigation and possible trial at the International Criminal Court.
The announcement of Duterte-Carpio’s tandem with Marcos has sparked criticism among survivors of human rights violations under both the elder Duterte and the late Ferdinand Marcos. Marcos’s regime was riddled with corruption and human rights abuses, while Duterte is most known for a bloody war on drugs that has left thousands dead.
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“The son of a former dictator and daughter of a wannabe dictator are now poised to continue the dark legacies of their fathers,” said Neri Colemnares, an opposition congressman running for senator. “This can only bode ill for the vast majority of Filipinos, many of whom suffered under the corrupt and brutal regimes of their fathers.”
Duterte-Carpio has long sought to differentiate her politics from those of her father, but analysts had not expected them to compete against each other.
Jean Franco, professor of political science at the University of the Philippines-Diliman, says the latest twist points to how Philippine politics is mostly a family drama — meaning that only insiders are privy to what goes on behind the scenes.
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“The negotiations are very opaque. That makes it a guessing game for election watchers like us, so it’s difficult to speculate,” she said. “At the end of the day, it’s our democracy that is once again being challenged — the system is deeply flawed.”
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Duterte-Carpio’s actions signify that her plans differ from those of her father, said political analyst Antonio La Vi？a. The president had previously said his daughter would run alongside Go.
The apparent rift between father and daughter might also allow an opening for other aspirants. Other presidential bets include vice president and opposition leader Maria Leonor Robredo, former boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao, former actor and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso, senator and former police chief Panfilo Lacson, and labor rights activist Leody de Guzman.
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“This is good news for the opposition and the non-Duterte candidates,” said La Vi？a. “It gives them space to convert people who might be exasperated with this.”
Analysts had already been speculating over whether Marcos and Duterte-Carpio would team up earlier this week, when the two walked down the aisle together as part of the entourage at the wedding of a senator’s daughter.
“This is Philippine politics,” Marcos told reporters at the time. “Everything is possible. Even up to the last absolute minute.”
Read more:
International Criminal Court authorizes investigation into bloody Philippine drug war led by Duterte
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