Sara Duterte slams Alvarez for ‘opposition’ tag: How dare you call me that?

MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Thursday took to social media to criticize House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez for allegedly calling her part of the opposition.

The daughter of the president also chided Alvarez, saying he himself acted as an opposition when he said he can impeach her father, President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Kung a**hole ka sa Congress, don’t bring that to Davao, leave it in Manila. Somebody should tell the President what you are doing. How dare you call me part of the opposition. Kapal ng mukha mo. You messed with the wrong girl,” Duterte-Carpio said in one of her posts.

“[Anong] sabi mo in a crowd, ‘President iba siya, Speaker ako, I can always impeach him!’ And you call me opposition? Somebody should really tell the President about the truth,” the mayor said in a separate post, adding that she has further revelation against Alvarez on Friday.

Duterte-Carpio’s social media posts came after the House speaker commented on the mayor’s move to form a regional party separate from her father’s political party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan.

In a radio interview, Alvarez was asked if the mayor should affiliate her local party to the ruling PDP-Laban and he responded that it was “a non-issue.” 

Alvarez said the formation of regional parties is a common practice and that Duterte-Carpio’s decision should be respected.

“Doon natin makikita na sa pulitika, 'yung tinatawag nila minsan dynasty-dynasty. Alam mo hindi sa lahat ng panahon ay tama 'yun. Kahit na mag-ama yan, kahit na—minsan hindi tayo nagkakasundo. Magkapatid naglalaban sa pulitika, paano natin pigilin 'yun? Sila mismo naglaban-laban 'di ba?” Alvarez said when asked if Duterte-Carpio’s party should be affiliated with PDP-Laban.

“Ito namang sa kaso noong pagtatag ng partido ni Mayor Sara ay talaga namang pupuwede 'yun, 'di ba? So, igalang na lang natin talaga,” the House speaker added.

Duterte-Carpio informed the public and Alvarez that the unity she forged with four governors of Region 11 has the blessing of her father. She added that even the use of the word “Hugpong” as the name of the regional party “Hugpong ng Pagbabago” has the president’s approval.