VP Sara Duterte reaches out to Davao City political clans

Vice President Sara Duterte answers questions from the media after she cast her votes at the Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School on Monday, May 12, 2025. —File photo by Germelina Lacorte | Inquirer Mindanao

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte has been trying to reach out to the leader of one of the city’s political clans here who had a falling out with the Dutertes in the recent elections.

Former Rep. Vince Garcia, who still had one more term as second district representative in the last elections, chose not to run to give way to his nephew Javi Garcia Campos to run in the second congressional seat here.

Campos, an ally of House Speaker Martin Romualdez, lost, however, to Omar Duterte, grandson of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who got an overwhelming number of votes.

READ: Duterte hold on Davao provinces weakens

Sara said he had been reaching out to Garcia in the last few days, but the latter had not been taking her calls.

Aside from the Garcias, several political clans in the second and third districts have been having a falling out with the Dutertes, who occupied the top posts in the city — mayor, vice mayor, and the congressional district seats in the House of Representatives.

According to the vice president, they were only forced to let Omar Duterte, the former President’s grandson, to run after Garcia refused to take the call from Hugpong ng Pagbabago prior to the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the recently concluded elections. /lzb