Barangay leaders welcome news
By ROGER M. BALANZA
Davao City Vice Mayor Sara Z. Duterte on Wednesday bared her bid to run for the city’s top post in May next year, setting off a possible clash with House Speaker Prospero Nograles.
With the announcement before barangay captains at a gethering in Grand Men Seng Hotel , the young Duterte, daughter of outgoing Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, ended speculations as to who the mayor would annoint as his heir apparent.
Looming as her potential rival is Nograles, in what could be seen as a grand battle between the Dutertes and the Nograles.
Speculations here are rife Mayor Duterte would take a crack at the First District congressional race against Atty. Karlo Nograles, the son of the Speaker who is also running out his three terms as congressman in May.
If Nograles battles it out with Sara, the attempt to grab City Hall in next year’s polls would be his third try.
He was trounced by Mayor Duterte in the fight for the post in 1992, and then was clobbered in the 1998 elections by Mayor Ben de Guxman, Mayor Duterte’s erstwhile political ally turned foe who is now said to have pitched camp with Nograles.
As the matter now stands, Nograles would be leading the administration banner with the Dutertes sleeping with the opposition.
Propagandists of Nograles in media of late have been giving hint debates in the coming elections would be a battle between the Dutertes’ flasgship peace and order campaign vs. the Nograleses’ development and progress motto.
Mayor Duterte has been serverely attacked by human rights and progressive groups here for the spare of summary executions of suspected criminals. The Commission on Human Rights is continuing its investigation of the killings numbering more than 800 since 1998, but has yet to pin down Mayor Duterte for his alleged link to the Davao Death Squad.
Speaker Nograles meanwhile is banking on millions of of pesos in infrastructure projects and other nationally-funded projects that he has poured into the city as a congressman which markedly increased when he became Speaker.
His drumbeaters are now challenging voters to choose between an administration known for human rights violations and an aspirant pouring in progress and development.
Filed under: Duterte, Duterte-Nograles fight, POLITICS, Sara Duterte, davao city
