Belmonte welcomes gesture of peace
Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte lauded President Duterte’s declaration that he has no issues against politicians who have jumped ship to the ruling PDP-Laban party.
Belmonte said she deeply appreciated Duterte’s offer of peace to former political opponents in the 2016 elections who are now his allies. “I’m very happy with that gesture of reconciliation. I think that’s a sign of great maturity. And I think that should be the mindset of all politicians,” the vice mayor said in an interview yesterday when asked about the President’s statement about political turncoatism.
Since the 2019 elections, which Belmonte describes as “the day of reckoning,” is “just one
day,” the vice mayor pointed out that “the people, when they choose, that winner must be magnanimous and must be willing to accept everybody because that’s the way to move forward.”
“If you make enemies, you will not move forward because you’ll always take vengeance with one another. That’s not the way towards progress,” the daughter of former mayor, House speaker and now 4th District Rep. Sonny Belmonte Jr. added.
Duterte, the young Belmonte further said, has set “a very good example with that gesture of peace.”
In a speech delivered last Wednesday during the mass oath taking of new members of Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte-National Executive Coordinating Committee (MRRD NECC) at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City, Duterte said he is ready to accept as allies the politicians who supported his opponents in the 2016 elections.
Belmonte was one of those who took an oath as new political adviser of MRRD NECC-Quezon City Chapter. MRRD NECC was an all-volunteer group that supported Duterte’s candidacy in the 2016 presidential race.
“Now, hindi ninyo kasalanan ngayon nandito kayo sa akin. Kasi that is the culture of politics everywhere na kung sino ‘yung manalo, maglipat doon, pati ‘yung incumbent mayors because you want to help,” Duterte said, adding that he does not care about the previous political affiliation of his supporters since he is already President.
“Nagsama tayo, hindi kayo tumulong sa akin, kay Binay kayo, kay Grace, wala na akong pake, kay Mar. Tapos na ‘yun. Bakit pa ba ako mag-ano diyan? Panalo na ako,” he said.
Belmonte admitted that she was one of the people Duterte might have been alluding to.
“Yes, I’m one of those,” the vice mayor said in jest. She stressed, however, that she takes no offense at the Chief Executive’s words.
From the Liberal Party (LP), the last-termer vice mayor transferred to PDP-Laban last year. Belmonte has openly admitted that she will run for mayor of Quezon City next year.
The 48-year-old Belmonte had said earlier that she had LP’s blessing before deciding to join PDP-Laban, and that she believed that being a member of the administration party would provide bigger opportunities for her to better serve her constituents.