DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 30 September) — A religious leader here has expressed interest to run in the mayoralty race, in response to the call of his supporters who held a “prayer rally” to urge him to “change Davao City.”
Members of the Christ the Healer International Missions Movement (CHIMM) on Saturday evening called on their founder, Bishop Rodolfo “Rod” Cubos, to run for mayor during the event held at the Davao City Recreation Center.
The crowd chanted “Bishop Rod! Bag-ong Davao na pod (For a new Davao)!”
In a message to his supporters posted on his Facebook page Sunday evening, Cubos said that he will “consider their call and will seek guidance from the Lord.”
“Dugay na pod kong nag-desire og kabag-ohan, mga butang na gusto nako na ang pagka-tarong mao’y magahari. Kini inyong tingog nagdala og klarong mensahe, nagtinguha kamo og new chapter sa atong siyudad (For long, I also desired for change, where righteousness will prevail. Your voices bring a clear message – you are yearning for a new chapter in our city),” the religious leader said.
CHIMM members who expressed their support to Cubos include interfaith leaders, civil society advocates, members of LGBTQI+, and Lumad and other sectoral groups.
“Naa’y gusto ipaabot na mensahe ang Ginoo sa ako (The Lord wants to send me a message),” he told the members.
His Facebook profile picture, posted on September 20, showed him representing the Bangon Pilipinas Outsourcing partylist.
Free hospitalization and education and more job opportunities are among his major platforms should he run for local public office, according to Cubos.
For the past several decades, the Dutertes have been leading this city, starting in 1988 when patriarch Rodrigo won as mayor.
A known populist, Duterte had been mayor of this city for at least 22 years from 1988 to 2016, before becoming president in 2016, replacing Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
In 2010, he was elected vice mayor, succeeding his daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, who was elected as mayor. Sara, who is currently the nation’s vice president, won again as mayor for two terms from 2016 to 2022.
Sara’s younger brother Sebastian, also known as “Baste,” is the current mayor.
Their older brother, Paolo, is now on his second term as representative of the city’s first district, starting in 2019.
For the past several decades, only Benjamin C. de Guzman, whom Duterte campaigned for and later became his rival, won the city’s top post as a non-Duterte, from June 30, 1998 to June 30, 2001.
The filing of certificate of candidacies will start on Tuesday, October 1, and will end October 8.
The simultaneous mid-term national and local elections will be held on May 12, 2025. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
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