Sara, Gibo: Introduced, but sans formal pact, yet?

Former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. on Monday vouched for Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s leadership, believing that the president’s daughter would be able to “unite people” amid the pandemic.

“My impression of Mayor Sara talking about issues was that she would make a very good president of this country,” Teodoro said during a media interview, recalling his recent meeting with Duterte-Carpio.

“She has an independent mind. She has managerial skills, you know, running a very complex city like Davao,” he added.

To show his support to the possible presidential bid of Duterte-Carpio, Teodoro expressed that he is “gladly” offering himself to be her vice president.

“She’s familiar with the national issues. She agrees that priority is, even extending beyond next year or possibly 2023, getting everybody vaccinated and the economy going and recovered. So, she will be a good president if she decides to run,” he explained.

Last 3 June, former Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando “Nonoy” Andaya bared that the two have already “forged a partnership deal” for the next polls during their first formal meeting in the Davao City Hall.

However, Teodoro himself did not confirm whether there was indeed a deal that was “forged” as earlier claimed by Andaya.

“Nonoy Andaya thought it will be good for me to meet up with Mayor Sara,” he said.

“What happened was Cong. Nonoy introduced (us to one another) as president and vice president, and we just smiled.”

She’s familiar with the national issues. She agrees that priority is, even extending beyond next year or possibly 2023, getting everybody vaccinated and get the economy going and recovered.

Even if things between them have not been formalized yet, Teodoro said that the Sara-Gibo tandem can offer is a “unified leadership”.

“This country really needs to unite, and I think she knows that and she’s sincere,” he said.

Although he used to serve as the chair of the Lakas-CMD party, Teodoro said he will remain as an independent candidate for the next elections, saying that he doesn’t want to be “bound” by pre-existing promises or conditions.

It was in 2010 when he first ran for president as the administration’s bet. He lost to then-Senator Noynoy Aquino, who is his second cousin.

Admittedly, Teodoro said the defeat was humbling on his part.

It also made him think more realistically and that it opened a lot of opportunities for him.

What pushed him to return to politics after 10 years? Teodoro said “the pandemic”, but the “strongest voice” was his wife, Monica Prieto-Teodoro, a former Tarlac representative.

“She said: ‘This is the time for everybody to help.’ Since you were younger, you are in the public sector. You have something to contribute to the country. And that got me thinking, it made me try to help the country as best as I can,” he shared.

So far, Duterte-Carpio has stayed mum about her plans for the next general elections.

Teodoro served as secretary of the Department of National Defense from 2007 to 2009 under former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

He was also a former congressman representing Tarlac province from 1998 to 2007.

Teodoro is from Isabela and the only son of Gilberto Teodoro Sr., a former administrator of the Social Security System, and former Tarlac Rep. Mercedes Cojuangco-Teodoro.