MANILA - Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Saturday ended speculation about her possible Senate bid saying she was not running for the national post next year.

Duterte-Carpio, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, said she was informed on Friday night that the ruling PDP-Laban has reserved a slot for her on its senatorial slate for the May 2019 elections.

"But I told them categorically last night na (that) I'm not interested to run for Senate," she said.

Duterte-Carpio made the statement to reporters on the sidelines of the commemoration of former Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago's second death anniversary at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City.

Duterte-Carpio earlier launched Hugpong ng Pagbabago, a regional party in the Davao region.

PANOORIN: Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, sinabing hindi siya tatakbo sa pagka-senador sa 2019 elections @DZMMTeleRadyo pic.twitter.com/5CFRNCQBlb — Maria Arra Perez (@arraperezDZMM) September 29, 2018

Last week, her name emerged as the fifth most preferred senatorial candidate among 66 probable contenders in a Pulse Asia Survey.

The president's daughter had said in August that she was foregoing a bid for a Senate seat as she plans to seek reelection in 2019.