MANILA (UPDATE) - Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is running for president in next year's elections, Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda claimed Wednesday.

Salceda made the remark after the President's daughter withdrew her candidacy for reelection on Tuesday.

• Sara Duterte drops reelection bid, clearing potential run for higher office

Salceda said he last spoke to Duterte-Carpio an hour "before everything went down." The Davao Mayor withdrew from the mayoralty race on the same day that her brother, Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte, withdrew his candidacy for reelection.

• On Sara's instructions, Baste Duterte withdraws reelection bid for Davao City vice mayor

The city mayor's office also fired Tuesday her information officer, Jefry Tupas, for attending a party where anti-narcotics officers confiscated some P1.5-million worth of party drugs and marijuana.

• Sara Duterte fires information officer who attended party later raided for drugs

"There’s no VP option for her and picking a VP for her is not a problem," Salceda told ANC's Headstart.

When asked if Duterte-Carpio would be running alongside former senator and presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Salceda said it was a "speculation."

"I’m not sure about that. Definitely that’s a speculation because she’s running for president. All these political gyrations just shows she’s going toward the presidency," he said.

"I cannot say confirming but based on our long-running chats, kilometric chats--because I provided her with so many big data about her prospects-- I think basically she will make a good president in the first place."

Duterte-Carpio earlier said she wanted to finish her last term as Davao City mayor and called for understanding from her supporters who were urging her to reconsider her decision.

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The Davao City mayor did not change her mind and was set to run for the presidency since May, according to Salceda.

"She yielded not a single inch. That enlightened stubbornness, unyielding firmness to purpose. She wanted to run since May. There were just stumbling blocks towards it," he said.

Duterte-Carpio "most likely" will run under Lakas–CMD Partylist, says Salceda.

• EXCLUSIVE: Lakas-CMD official admits filers for president, VP just 'placeholders'

Duterte-Carpio would also have considered the Marcoses, her close friends, in her decision, Salceda said.

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"Bago siya lumabas (Before she announces) definitely she would tell Bongbong she’s running for president so there will be some kind of...They will be considered in that decision of Sara," he said.

"Possible pa rin yan. Kung si Imee nasunod, Imee wanted Sara to run for president," he added when asked if Duterte-Carpio would run as vice president of Marcos.

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