Imee Marcos: Sara Duterte the strongest contender for the presidency in 2022

President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, Davao Mayor Sara Duterte, arrive at the Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel in September last year./RTVM/

(Eagle News)–Senator-elect Imee Marcos believes the strongest contender for the presidency in 2022 is Davao Mayor Sara Duterte.

In an interview over ANC on Thursday, May 30, Marcos said the presidential daughter “has the connection with the people” and the “same authenticity that we love and fell in love with President (Rodrigo) Duterte before.”

As for those saying the Davao mayor lacks experience, she said “that’s quickly gained.”

“She’s very quick,” Marcos said.

The Davao mayor, who won reelection in the May 13 polls, has so far been coy  about her political plans in 2022, when her father is expected to step down.

In April, during a chance interview with reporters during a campaign sortie for the senatorial bets of her Hugpong ng Pagbabago party in Ilocos Sur, the presidential daughter urged her supporters not to call her the “next president,” saying this would make her the target of those eyeing the chief executive post.

“Siguro gawa na lang tayo ng deadline, January of 2021,” she had said.

But her father, President Duterte, has already urged his children to “get out of politics” as soon as possible.

Both the President’s sons, Paolo and Sebastian, won in the recently concluded elections.

Paolo is the incoming representative of the 1st legislative district of Davao while Sebastian is the new city vice mayor, a post his elder brother held before.

“Inday, I am publicly warning her, the presidency will not educate you. It will just destroy you, especially with the kind of media ngayon (that we have now, they are) paid hacks,” the President had said to his daughter in a speech in May.