Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Thursday joined the national party Lakas-CMD (Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats) following her resignation from Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP).
House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said the president’s daughter took her oath at the Revilla Farm in Silang, Cavite.
“The officials and members of Lakas-CMD are elated to welcome Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as new member of our party. We had long been inviting Mayor Inday to join our party as we are all impressed with her sterling qualities as a leader and we saw up close her exemplary work ethic as chief executive of Davao City,” Romualdez said.
Duterte-Carpio resigned from HNP, a regional party she had established, earlier on Thursday.
“It is with profound sadness that I hereby tender my resignation from our beloved party. My support will always be with you and I will always be grateful for all the things you have taught me,” she said in her handwritten resignation.
Lakas-CMD fielded obscure candidates Anna Capela Velasco and Lyle Fernando Uy for president and vice president in the 2022 national elections.
Prospero Pichay, the party’s secretary general, earlier said that Lakas-CMD had been waiting for Duterte-Carpio’s decision to seek a national post.
Candidates have until Nov. 15 to decide on their substitutions. John Ezekiel J. Hirro