MANILA, Philippines — Will Inday Sara be like her father – a seemingly reluctant mayor who ultimately joined the fray?

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While President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly warned his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, against running for president in 2022, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the younger Duterte “might rise to the challenge.”

“The father doesn’t want but if the people want her to run, she might rise to the challenge,” Panelo told reporters in Malacañang on Thursday night.

Duterte has cautioned his daughter that running for the country’s top position would require “sacrifices” aside from becoming an open target for “insults.”

READ:Duterte again tells Sara: Don’t run for president

“She has the intellectual wherewithal and the political will,” he said, adding that Sara would “overwhelmingly” win if the elections are held now.

Panelo’s remarks came a day after Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo said “anything is possible” about her 2022 presidential bid.

READ: Robredo not closing doors on possible presidential bid

“If the elections were today, walang chance [manalo si Robredo],” he said, citing Robredo’s low approval rating.

2021 decision

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While Sara previously said she has no plans to run for President in 2022, she also said she was not closing her doors on such possibility adding she would possibly decide by January 2021.

READ: Sara Duterte to decide on presidential bid by 2021

According to Panelo, “almost everybody wants her to run,” referring to Sara.

Panelo then cited the uncanny similarity of the circumstances that pushed Duterte to run in the 2016 presidential elections, and which may push the presidential daughter to run in 2022.

“Baka pareho rin ni President noon ayaw niya tumakbo pero wala rin siyang choice kasi people clamor for her to run,” he said.

Before the 2016 elections, then mayor Duterte had repeatedly rejected offers to run for president, saying he has “no ambition” to seek the presidency.

READ: It’s final: Duterte won’t run for president in 2016

But Panelo said that if former Presidents Diosdado Macapagal and Corazon Aquino had their children become president, Duterte can have it, too, through Sara.

“If there was an Arroyo-Macapagal with a President father at mayroon ding Noynoy na merong Cory meron din sigurong Sara ang Duterte,” he said, adding that Sara was the best suitable individual to continue her father’s programs.

Sought for her comment on Panelo’s remarks, Sara briefly replied in a Viber message, “no comment.”

“Exciting pala sa 2022,” Panelo quipped. (Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)/ac

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