INDAY SARA TO ENSURE ALVAREZ DEFEAT IN 2019 POLLS

By ROGER M. BALANZA

Ahead of the 2019 mid-term elections, Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte is setting up the ground works to deliver on her promise to frustrate the reelection bid of Davao del Norte First District Representative Pantaleon Alvarez.

In Alvarez’s turf in the provinvial capital city of Tagum on Sunday August 5, Inday Sara said  her regional party Hugpong Ng Pagbabgo (HNP) will field a candidate against Alvarez and the Alvarez Wing, an independent bloc inside the PDP/Laban that the former House Speaker organized for next year’s polls.

Inday Sara also said HNP will be actively involved region-wide in the coming polls and will field a full slate against the regional line-up of the PDP/Laban of which Alvarez is secretary general.

The presidential daughter made the vow as Alvarez earlier this year described the HNP as an opposition party and its formation without the blessing of President Rodrigo Duterte.

 Badly hurt, Inday Sara called Alvarez an “asshole” and a liability to the Duterte administration” and vowed to campaign against his reelection.

The primary mission of the HNP, founded by Inday Sara together with the governors of the Davao Region, is to support the Duterte administration and unite local officials to hasten economic development.

Apparently, Inday Sara brought his conflict with Alvarez to the House of Representatives.

Reports said Inday Sara, who also earlier called on legislators to replace Alvarez, played a role in the July 23 coup that ousted Alvarez and installed former President now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo as the new Speaker.

Inday Sara bared the impending battle of the HNP against Alvarez and PDP/Laban at the mass oathtaking on August 5 of about 6,000 new members of HNP at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex.