Duterte skips final HNP campaign rally

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — President Duterte skipped the final campaign rally of the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) regional political party here last Thursday night in San Pedro Square.

It would have been Duterte’s first HNP rally since the start of the campaign for the senatorial candidates and party-list representatives last February.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who is HNP chair, announced that the President was monitoring the event through live-stream.

The HNP has covered key areas in 81 provinces during the last 91 days of the campaign leading up to the midterm elections on Monday.

The sorties were held to woo at least 61 million registered voters nationwide.

The President did not have the chance to join the HNP rallies as he was campaigning around the country to endorse the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) senatorial and guest candidates. 

The HNP and PDP-Laban have common senatorial candidates like former special assistant to the president Christopher “Bong” Go and reelectionist Sens. Cynthia Villar and Sonny Angara.

Carpio is on leave to campaign for the HNP senatorial bets as well as local candidates.

The President was set to attend last night’s campaign rally for Davao City’s first district officials, among whom is his son Paolo, who is running for a seat in the House of Representatives.

The President’s son Sebastian is seeking the vice mayoralty position here and, like his older siblings Sara and Paolo, he is running unopposed.

Also running unopposed are Vincent Garcia and Isidro Ungab, who want to represent the Davao City second and third districts, respectively.