Contrary to the public’s perception, Vice President Sara Z. Duterte clarified that former President Rodrigo R. Duterte has “never ever asked” her to run for president in 2022.
That is also her clarification to some people who are claiming that Filipinos “are on this road to perdition because Inday Sara was stubborn and did not listen to her father.”
“Alam niyo kasi I don’t like talking about my life. I don’t like talking about my feelings. I only want to talk about my work kaya hindi ako nagsasalita pero ganito yung nangyari, PRD never asked me to run for president. Yan yung totoo,” the vice president revealed on Friday during a press conference online.
“Seven times niya akong pinuntahan sa bahay ng nanay ko, sa bahay ng asawa ko, hindi siya talaga nagsabi sa akin na tumakbo ka for president. In fact, sinabi niya sa akin huwag kang tumakbo for president kasi nanggaling ako diyan, mahirap siya na trabaho, anak kita naaawa ako sa iyo to go through what I had to go through. Yan ang sinabi niya sa akin. Paulit ulit,” she added.
And her mother, Elizabeth A. Zimmerman witnessed all the meetings.
“Sa pitong discussions na yun nandoon ang nanay ko parati nakaupo, nakikinig. Hindi nagsasalita. There was only one discussion na nagsalita yung nanay ko. On the hindsight, maybe ginamitan ako ng reverse psychology ni PRD, hindi ko alam. Siya lang ang nakakaalam kung bakit paulit ulit niyang sinabi sa akin huwag ka tumakbo for president,” she said.
The vice president even said her father gave her a position paper that would serve as another proof.
“He (PRD) left me documents, dalawang papers in a folder. Ang nakalagay doon sa left side, nagsasabi yung tao doon, ‘Sara should not run for any position dapat si Bong Go ang tumakbong VP’. Sa right side ng document, ‘Sara should not run for any position. She should endorse Bong Go and PRD for president and vice president’,” she said.
The vice president said even if the former president asked her, still she would not run for president.
“Unfortunately, hindi naniwala ang lahat kasi sinsabi ninyo iyon ang track ni President Duterte. Yes, meron kayong nakikita sa akin na nakikita ninyo sa kanya but I am a different person. Yung mga anak ninyo, hindi yan clones ninyo,” she said.
