By R. G. Antonet Go/PNA
ZAMBOANGA CITY — First District Rep. Celso Lobregat on Friday clarified that the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) did not endorse his candidacy “but it was a personal endorsement of Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte.”
Lobregat issued the statement after HNP-Davao political officer, Jeffrey Tupas, advised candidates not to assume that they have been endorsed by Mayor Sara Duterte unless “explicitly stated.”
He said the endorsement was made during a “luncheon meeting by invitation” in a restaurant in Quezon City on November 9.
The lawmaker said Mayor Sara has also raised the hands of some congressmen present during the luncheon meeting, among them Zamboanga del Sur 1at District Rep. Divina Grace Yu, Zamboanga del Norte 2nd District Rep. Glona Labadlabad, and Parañaque City 2nd District Rep. Gustavo Tambunting.
“The intention there was really for Mayor Sara to raise our hands. When you raise somebody’s hands, you are endorsing a candidate,” Lobregat said, noting that it was not just a mere photo opportunity.
Meanwhile, he said that Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar “is giving him too much credit” by saying it was him who endorsed Sara.
Salazar earlier said “it seems that the congressman has endorsed Mayor Sara Duterte” when he saw the picture of Sara raising the hands of Lobregat.
“Is she giving me big credit? By saying that I’m the one endorsing Mayor Sara, wow! She is saying I am that powerful to make the endorsement,” Lobregat quipped.
Tupas, who is also Davao City’s information officer, earlier said he can’t recall that Sara endorsed Lobregat, and that the lawmaker may have made too much out of a photo opportunity.
“I don’t know how a photo can be misconstrued as an endorsement. I believe until it was and explicitly stated that HNP or Mayor Sara has endorsed a candidate can we really say an endorsement has been made,” he said. (With reports from Lilian Mellejor)
