Lakas-Christian Muslims Democrats president House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez on Wednesday said his party would support the candidacy of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, the President’s daughter, should she decide to run for president in the 2022 national elections.
“If Mayor Sara Duterte decides to seek higher office for 2022, we are ready to work for her victory in the coming election,” Romualdez said.
Romualdez’s statement came after the Lakas-CMD has renewed its alliance with regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago of Mayor Duterte to create a multi-party coalition with the aim to pursue political and socio-economic reforms laid out by the Duterte administration.
In a National Executive Meeting Wednesday afternoon, top officials of the Lakas-CMD unanimously adopted a resolution that authorizes Romualdez, the party president, to sign the renewal of its alliance agreement with the HNP for the 2022 national and local elections.
Romualdez, chairman of the House Committee on Rules, said the alliance agreement would bind the two parties to support whoever they decide to field as candidate for President in next year’s election.
At a news conference, Romualdez said the Lakas-CMD and HNP have yet to come up with a list of bets to endorse in the 2022 elections. Both Duterte and Romualdez have yet to decide on their political plans for next year’s election.
“The HNP has always been a major stakeholder in the House of Representatives,” said Romualdez, stressing that the political party of Mayor Duterte was “very influential and compelling.”
Romualdez stressed the importance of stronger cooperation of political parties in ensuring the preservation of the country’s democratic processes, including the conduct of peaceful and orderly elections.
“I call on other political parties to join us and be part of our mission to form a broad multi-party coalition anchored on shared principles. We need coalition partners that share the same vision of building a strong Republic through sustainable growth and development of the regions,” Romualdez said.
In their resolution, Lakas officials noted the importance of the party playing an active role in building a strong Republic following the devastation caused by the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Lakas-CMD believes that Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) shares the same vision of a strong Republic through the sustainable economic growth and development of the regions,” the resolution stated.
The Lakas-CMD previously signed an alliance agreement with HNP on November 7, 2018, which paved the way for their partnership in the 2019 national and local elections.
“The 2022 election will see both parties working together once more for the common good but this time, hopefully, with more political parties on board,” Romualdez said.
“May this new coalition usher in a new era of national unity, which we badly need to bounce back from the ravages wrought by the pandemic,” Romualdez added.