To present a more compassionate public persona to Filipino expatriates, Sara Duterte-Carpio seems to be setting the stage for a potential run for presidency in the future.

On March 9, a more compassionate, friendly, and approachable Sara Duterte-Carpio appeared in front of approximately 2,000 individuals gathered at Southorn Stadium located in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai district.

This was not the familiar Sara as before.
threatened to attempt an assassination against the present Philippines president
And daydreamed about decapitating him last year.

It wasn’t the Sarah who physically attacked a court officer back in 2011.

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In response, the Philippines’ vice-president extended sincere gratitude to God for allowing her the opportunity to speak with overseas Filipino workers and delivered an unusually humble apology for the “error” of campaigning together.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr
in the 2022 elections.

Despite her father, who was the previous president,
Rodrigo Duterte
He was arrested and quickly taken away to
International Criminal Court
She was detained on March 11, but neither an angry eruption nor threats left her mouth.

Rather than stating it directly, she dropped hints—much as she had done before.
Hong Kong
– that she might consider running for president in 2028.

Her change in public image and political approach started at Southorn Stadium. It was there that she openly discussed her difficult relationship with her father for the first time, even expressing gratitude towards him for encouraging her to complete her education.

She shared with the audience, ‘He doesn’t resemble your dads, who are kind and tender. My dad wasn’t like that at all; he came from an era when anger was constant.’

She recalled a memory from her youth, mentioning that as a young child, he said to her, “To me, you’re not human unless you become either a lawyer or a doctor.”

She explained that this was the reason she declared at age four, during her kindergarten yearbook entry, her aspiration to become a pediatrician.

However, when the moment arrived to submit her applications for higher education, she decided to defy expectations by quietly registering for a program in political science. According to her, her father reacted with extreme displeasure and prohibited her from completing the major.

“I am familiar with your character,” he remembered telling her when he was the mayor of Davao City. “You will align yourself with the communist rebels, lead them, and I will be forced to oppose you.”

Initially, she dabbled in medicine for a short period but switched to law after one year. Despite this change, her aspirations were still belittled by her father, who scoffed at her dreams of becoming anything more than an insignificant political figure.

However, once she aced the bar exam, he became overjoyed and started viewing her as his peer.

Duterte intended for his daughter to follow him as president, however, she went against his wishes and chose to campaign for vice-president, according to political strategist Ronald Llamas.

According to investigative journalist Jarius Bondoc, among Duterte’s offspring, Sara stood out as the sole “qualified” individual capable of ascending to the presidency.

According to Earl Parreno, author of the book, she was the only Duterte besides her father who had sufficient “national exposure” to be eligible for running for president.
Beyond Will and Power
, a life story of the previous president.

In 2007, the elder Duterte “chose” Sara as his running mate for the vice-mayor position, and according to Parreno’s book, it was clear that Digong had a deeper affection for Sara compared to his other children from his marriage to [ex-wife] Elizabeth.

Actually, based on sources near the family, both share a comparable disposition and use equally forceful and occasionally harsh speech. However, with Sara, this does not include the sexist remarks and profanity.

Parreno revealed to This Week in Asia that their leadership approaches varied as well. Whereas Rodrigo had an open-door policy, often inviting village chiefs into his office spontaneously, Sara preferred scheduled meetings.

At 46, Sara Duterte-Carpio has embraced a fresh campaign approach aimed at establishing herself as the leading opposition candidate.

Addressing the audience in Hong Kong, she encouraged voters not to support a Duterte solely based on the last name. “Even though he is a Duterte, we must consider what he can contribute to the nation,” she stated, referring to her two siblings who are also contesting for positions.

She also condemned the Filipino habit of voting for candidates who are “children, grandchildren, or spouses of current officials.”

“Rather than focusing on the children of prominent figures or celebrities, we should consider their character, achievements, skills, and suitability as potential candidates,” she stated, speaking about the upcoming 2025 senate elections.

Subsequently, during an address to overseas Filipino workers in The Hague on March 23, Duterte-Carpio shifted from discussing her father’s detention to delivering a sharp critique of President Marcos’ administration.

She informed the gathering that a president must consistently maintain command over his abilities. The spectators replied with shouts of “Marcos,
bangag
(drug-addled). Marcos, resign.”

Citing “betrayal of public trust,” which was the same accusation that resulted in her impeachment by the Lower House in February due to allegations of improper use of funds, she further disclosed that she has received governmental approval to travel and stay overseas until April 30.

When she openly condemned her father’s arrest and called out Marcos for his alleged corrupt practices, her motives for taking a one-month hiatus became evident.
redirecting resources allocated for healthcare coverage and schooling
.

She likewise condemned — albeit in a composed and restrained manner — Marcos’ reluctance to undergo a drug test. “Asserting that a drug test isn’t crucial for assessing a leader’s capability is essentially an act of betraying public faith,” she stated, further noting that a president should always be clear-headed when making decisions.

Nevertheless, not everyone agreed with this perspective. Sara’s cousin, psychiatrist Nuelle Duterte, refuted her assertions about threats to both her life and her father’s life, labeling them as “persecutory delusions.”

In her address at The Hague, Sara proposed that her father could potentially be killed if he went back to the Philippines. Following her remarks, her office was threatened with a bombing the next day.

Nuelle posted on
social media
The threat allegedly occurred while Sara was abroad and seemed designed to bolster her assertion of being under duress by suggesting she had gone on a late-night tirade claiming she had engaged someone to assassinate her.

Jean Franco, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines, stated, “I don’t view her as the head of the opposition.”

Although she might currently behave this way, her actions regarding the accusations made against her suggest that maintaining this stance will be challenging.

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The article initially appeared on the South ChinaMorning Post (www.scmp.com), which is the premier source for news coverage of China andAsia.

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