Sara condemns poll ‘violence’ in Bukidnon
BATANGAS CITY – UniTeam vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Wednesday condemned the reported violence that marred the campaign sortie of a presidential candidate in Quezon, Bukidnon on Tuesday.
“Of course, lahat ng election violence and allegations of fraud, we condemn that. We already wrote to the Comelec (Commission on Elections) a general letter that if there is any allegation or incident, dapat lahat yun buksan nila with an official inquiry,” she told reporters after meeting with the province’s health workers from the Nursing Service Administrators of the Philippines (ANSAP) at the Provincial Capitol Auditorium here.
Duterte, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) and Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) chairperson, was commenting on reports that security guards of a pineapple plantation fired on members of a tribe whom presidential aspirant Leodegario “Ka Leody” de Guzman accompanied in trying to occupy a piece of land that was not being used for growing pineapple.
De Guzman was reportedly nearly hit by a volley of gunfire. He said he was not sure if he were the target.
The Comelec is investigating the incident.
Duterte and UniTeam standard-bearer former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. are revisiting the Southern Luzon provinces Wednesday and this Thursday.
According to her, she and Marcos will continue to reach out to voters and spread their message of unity, healing, hope, and peace until the end of the campaign period on May 7, two days before the elections.
“Tutuloy-tuloy pa rin yung pangangampanya natin and patuloy pa rin ‘yung pakikipag-usap namin sa lahat ng mga Pilipino sa iba’t-ibang lugar sa ating bansa para po ipaabot yung ating mensahe ng pagkakaisa at kapayapaan para sa ating bansa,” she said.
Duterte had no comment on the call of a presidential candidate for another aspirant for the top post to withdraw from the race.
Asked if her father, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, has any plan of joining her in the campaign, she responded, “No. Wala po kaming discussion ng politics ni President Duterte.”
The President earlier endorsed her daughter’s vice presidential bid.
“I am not supporting any candidate except, of course, my daughter. Ako, boboto talaga ako sa anak ko (Me, I am really going to vote for my daughter),” the Chief Executive said in a speech in Mataas na Kahoy, Batangas early this month.
