Former Sen. De Lima Reacts To Reported Senate Run of 3 Dutertes
DE LIMA – Former Senator Leila de Lima tagged the announcement that 3 Dutertes are running for senator as a “political gimmick”.
The Duterte is one of the loudest surnames in the Philippine political arena. The family’s patriarch, former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, has served as the Philippines’ chief executive from 2016 to 2022 and is most popular for leading a fight against drugs. Currently, his daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, is the country’s vice president.
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte was also the DepEd Secretary but she recently resigned without citing the reason for leaving the Department of Education. She also resigned from her position as the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s vice chairperson.
There are speculations that Vice Pres. Duterte will run for president in 2028. Countless Filipinos and Duterte loyalists call for her presidential bid. However, according to the Vice President, Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte will be the one who will run for president in 2028.
The statement of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte gathered different reactions from the people. According to the Vice President, she also learned from her mother, Elizabeth Zimmerman-Duterte, that 3 Dutertes are eyeing a senatorial bid in 2028.
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte said that the 3 Dutertes eyeing to run for senator in 2028 are her father, former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte, and her brothers, Davao City First District Representative Paolo Duterte and Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte.
The announcement of the Vice President was welcomed by countless Filipinos. On the other side, it also gained criticisms from other individuals who cited it as “political dynasty” and “family business”.
Recently, former Sen. Leila de Lima whose last drug case was recently dismissed, reacted to the reported senatorial bids of 3 Dutertes. The former Senator who was detained for more than 6 years due to drug allegations is a known staunch critic of former Pres. Duterte.
Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, former Sen. Leila de Lima tagged the reported senatorial bids of 3 Dutertes as a “political gimmick”.
“The Duterte camp has been finding ways and means to really show to us, show to the people they’re still around, that they cannot be just counted out,” the former Senator said.
According to De Lima, her initial reaction was about the seriousness of the announcement. Based on the report, she also raised a question on the announcement about 3 Dutertes running for Senate being a “some kind of diversion”.