MANILA – Davao City mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, is a force to reckon with, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said.
“Not only in her region but the national political scene as well,” Lacson said on Monday.
The senator cited her alleged involvement in the removal of Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez as House Speaker.
“The fact that she is being talked about as the architect behind the changing of the guard in the HOR (House of Representatives), true or not, says it all,” Lacson said.
In February Alvarez called Duterte-Carpio part of the opposition after forming a new party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago, with other politicians from Mindanao.
The presidential daughter took offense, stressing that she saw no conflict between her party and the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan, President Duterte’s party.
Meanwhile, Lacson said new House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo – who had been mired in several corruption scandals when she was president – may still be up for “redemption.”
“I still believe that no person is beyond redemption,” he said.
“Regardless of her past ‘sins’ against the Filipino people, she may have regretted all those and made time for genuine and selfless service to the nation. Or so I hope,” said Lacson.
In 2010 – when Arroyo was still president – Lacson left the Philippines a few days before he was charged with double murder for his alleged involvement in the murder of publicist Salvador Dacer and driver Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000.
Lacson had said he feared for his life under the Arroyo administration./PN
