Duterte: Sara ‘alpha’ in the family
Credit to Author: Catherine S. Valente, TMT| Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2019 12:08:47 +0000
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte may be the epitome of macho but he has declared that his eldest daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara “Inday” Duterte-Carpio, is the “alpha” in the family.
In his speech during a visit at Taguig City’s Center for the Elderly on Thursday night, Duterte admitted his daughter was more dominant than him.
“‘Yung alpha sa pamilya namin, hindi [ako]. Sabihin ko sa inyo hindi ‘yan totoo, hindi ako, si Inday. Kung sabihin ni Inday, ganito, ganito ‘yan. Sa pamilya namin, siya ‘yan (The alpha in our family is not me… I’ll tell you the truth, it’s not me, it’s Inday. Inday is the one commanding. She’s the one dominating the family),” Duterte said.
He also revealed that even his sons, Davao City Rep. Paolo “Pulong’ Duterte and Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, were “afraid” of Sara.
“Takot ‘yan sa kapatid nilang babae. Lumaki sila binubugbog (They are afraid of her. They grew up being beaten by her),” the President said.
“Eh naglaki ‘yan si Inday, suntok dito, sipa doon. Noong lumaki na sila, wala na silang magawa kasi… Totoo (As she grew up, Inday used to hit and kickthem. So when they get older, they could do nothing. That’s the truth),” he added.
The Davao City mayor, who established herself as a force in national politics, has often been touted by her supporters as the President’s possible replacement when he steps down in 2022.
But the President has repeatedly said he didn’t want his daughter to go through what he has gone through as president.
“Do not believe the clamor of the people because when the water gets rough, you find that you are the only one sailing the lonely sea,” he said.
Candidates supported by Duterte-Caprio’s regional party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago, swept the senatorial elections last May, giving her father wider influence in the legislature.
She was also among those credited for the ouster of Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez as Speaker in 2018. The coup led to the rise of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as leader of the House of Representatives.
In August, the younger Duterte told The Manila Times that she would leave the presidency issue to God.
“We live a life that is controlled by God. I am not open or closed, basta kung saan ako ilagay ng Diyos doon ako (where God leads me there I’ll be),” Duterte-Carpio has said.
The President’s eldest daughter also told The Times that she was “not thinking” about seeking the presidency.
But she later said she would decide by January 2021.