Paolo willing to be adopted by other parties

DAVAO CITY – Which group in Congress is backed by Davao City first district Rep. Paolo Duterte?

President Duterte’s son says he is open for “adoption” although taken by the National Unity Party (NUP) last Tuesday.

“I am honored to have been adopted by the National Unity Party, one of the biggest political organizations in the country. To all other political groups out there, I am still up for adoption!” Duterte said in a statement yesterday.

Pointing out that there

is strength in unity, Duterte said he is willing to also be adopted by political parties other than the NUP.

“If being adopted by most, if not all, political parties whose main objective is to be of service to the people, then I am more than willing to join all of you. In unity there is strength,” Duterte said.

NUP officials, on the other hand, stressed that Duterte did not take his oath as NUP member but that he was only adopted.

Duterte reportedly remains a member of the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), the regional political party that his sister Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio heads.

The congressman in fact heads the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, the city counterpart of HNP in Davao City.

Duterte likewise explained that as the House deputy speaker for political affairs, his main task is to unify all members of Congress toward a common goal, which is to improve the lives of the Filipino people.

“I am new to this national political arena yet many of my colleagues wanted me to join their respective political groups. I am honored to have been adopted by the National Unity Party, one of the biggest political organizations in the country,” he said.

“Let us show to the Filipino people that we can all be united towards one common goal. This would be a first in Philippine politics, and it happened under the Duterte administration,” Duterte said.

NUP vice chair and House Deputy Speaker Roberto Puno announced the party also adopted Marino party-list Rep. Sandro Gonzales, Dumper party-list Rep. Claudine Bautista and Ako Bisaya partylist Rep. Sonny Lagon last Tuesday.

The Party-List Coalition in the House of Representatives has closed ranks, challenging the claim of the NUP as the second biggest bloc in the chamber.

1-Pacman Rep. Michael Romero, head of the 54-member bloc, said the NUP cannot claim that its membership ballooned to 57 if such figure includes representatives of 12 party-list groups belonging to the coalition.

“The political parties cannot include in their headcount members of the party-list representatives who signed our manifesto of membership in the party-list coalition,” he said.

Romero said the manifesto signed by all their 54 members specifically stated that they “affirm official membership in the Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. (PCFI) and not in any other political party.”