DAVAO CITY — LAKAS-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Monday joined millions of Filipinos who exercised their right to vote for the 2022 national and local elections.

Duterte, who is Lakas-CMD and Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) chairperson, arrived at the Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School (DRANHS) here together with her husband, Atty. Manases Carpio, at 9:15 a.m.

The vice presidential frontrunner cast her vote at Precinct 1245A, the same polling precinct where her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, is expected to vote.

After thanking the UniTeam’s supporters and volunteers, Duterte said she is praying that the country will have orderly elections.

“Nagpapasalamat po ako sa lahat ng tumulong simula January sa aming kampanya at pag-iikot sa ating bansa. Nagpapasalamat po ako sa lahat ng ating mga kababayan sa pagpapakita po ng interes na maging maayos po ang ating mahal na Pilipinas,” Duterte said.

She added: “We should all pray for honest, orderly, and peaceful elections. Tayong lahat, kung sino man ang manalo, ay tanggapin natin ‘yun basta siguraduhin lang natin na tama ang pagbilang ng ating boto.”

Duterte said she is still not open to discussing about possible Cabinet positions in the future.

“Hindi pa po natin pinaguusapan ang Cabinet position sa ngayon dahil nakatutok tayo sa paniniguro na tama yung pagbilang ng ating pagboto at pagpapasalamat sa lahat ng tumulong,” Duterte said.

Asked about her plans if she wins the vice presidency, Duterte vowed to work for the country.

“I will be a vice president na magtatrabaho sa Pilipinas. ‘Yan po ang kampanya natin sa lahat and we seek out the support of our fellow Filipinos in campaigning na maging matapat sa ating mga konunidad, sa ating mga bayan, sa ating mga lungsod,” Duterte said.

She also assured that she will remain loyal to her tandem, former Senator and presidential frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos.

“Of course, I will be a supportive and loyal vice president to Apo BBM in the event that he wins. Kung hindi naman natin kasama o kaalyado ang mananalong pangulo, I will still continue to work for our country,” she added.

Duterte and Marcos are consistent survey frontrunners, gaining more than 50 percent of the Filipinos’ vote preference.

She had chosen former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. long before even the other candidates could decide to join the presidential race and she has since remained with him all throughout the campaign.

Therefore, no one could ever question the level and strength of their partnership and the breadth of their tandem.

Duterte again professed on election day her loyalty to the tandem and assured Marcos, her presidential running mate from the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, that their political partnership will remain solid and firm.

“I will be a supportive and loyal vice president to Apo BBM in the event he wins. Kung hindi naman natin kasama o kaalyado ang mananalong pangulo, I will still continue to work for our country,” Duterte said.

The Davao City mayor was very modest in her prediction regarding the results of the presidential elections for her and Marcos’ candidacies, although she and her tandem knew that they are already on their way to clinching the mandates that they are seeking from Filipino voters, as shown by overwhelming results of election surveys.

“Manalo man tayo o matalo, we already prepared an online thanksgiving para po sa lahat ng mga tumulong, and lahat ng gustong makipasalamat po sa safe na pagconduct ng kampanya in the past 90 days,” the vice presidential candidate said in Davao City where she casted her vote.

Sticking to her promise during the grueling three months of campaign, Duterte assured she will work for the best interest of the country and for the future of Filipinos as the country’s second highest leader.