“I will go back to public service if the people need my services”

BY ROGER M. BALANZA

Dabawenyos want former Vice Mayor Paolo “Pulong” Duterte to run for mayor in the 2019 mid-term elections, if  her sister Mayor Inday Sara Duterte takes a crack at a Senate seat, according to results of a survey by the University of Mindanao-Institute of Popular Opinion (UM-IPO).

The UM-IPO survey also showed majority of Dabawenyos (75%)  believing that Inday Sara would run for a Senate seat in 2019.

The survey by the Davao City-based UM-IPO showed that nearly half  (49%) of the Dabawenyos want Pulong to run for mayor. The survey was conducted from July 13 to 18 involving 1,200 respondents.

Also picked by Dabawenyos as potential bets for the city’s top post are First District Rep Karlo Nograles (38 percent); Vice Mayor Bernard Al-ag; Danny Dayanghirang; and Mabel Sunga-Acosta.

The names of youngest presidential son Sebastian Duterte, Inday Sara’s hubby Mans Carpio and presidential daughter-in-law January Duterte also came out in the survey as possible candidates for mayor.

Pulong had earlier resigned as vice mayor after he was linked in a Senate probe to drug smuggling at the Manila port. The Senate, however, would clear Pulong of  his alleged link to a P6.4 billion smuggling of shabu.  He was replaced by Third District councilor Al-ag.

Pulong said he was planning to return to politics as he  joined the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) during the group’s Davao convention on August 17. HNP is a regional party founded by Inday Sara together with governors of the Davao Region.

“I will go back to public service if the people of Davao City need my services. But there are many other ways to serve the Dabawenyos and our dear city — being in politics is just one of them. And if I can serve best through politics, it would be my pleasure to be of service to you and to our city — just like before,” he said.

The UM-IPO survey also showed majority of Dabawenyos (75%)  believing that Inday Sara would run for a Senate seat in 2019. according to Dr. Maria Linda B. Arquiza, UP-IPO assistant vice president for Research and Publication Center.

Inday Sara has landed in the winning circle of potential Senate bets in the 2019 polls in surveys by the Social Weather Station and Pulse Asia.