Despite blasting Kiko, Sara Duterte still respects Sharon Cuneta

Sharon Cuneta (left) and Mayor Sara Duterte

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte said her respect for singer-actress Sharon Cuneta remains high despite her recent tirades against the latter’s husband, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.

“I have high respect for Ate Sharon, she has been very kind to me since I was a child,” Sara said in a text message to INQUIRER.net on Thursday.

The Davao City mayor said Cuneta, whom she first met in the early 1990s, has always been “apolitical.”

“She has always been apolitical despite growing up with a politician father,” Sara said, referring to Cuneta’s father, the late Pasay City Mayor Pablo Cuneta.

READ: Sharon on friendship with Mayor Sara

In a Facebook post also on Thursday, Sara criticized three senators, including Pangilinan, for being “opportunists” after they asked for President Rodrigo Duterte’s help and endorsement in previous elections.

Aside from Pangilinan, she also slammed Senators Risa Hontiveros and Antonio Trillanes IV, who she revealed had ambitions to become president.

READ: Sara Duterte sears ‘opportunistic’ Pangilinan, Hontiveros, Trillanes

In a speech last September, Duterte mentioned “The Megastar” as a long-time idol of his daughter Sara.

“Pangilinan is my friend at may utang na loob ako sa kanya. Si Inday (Sara), when she was Grade 6, Grade 5, sabi ko: ‘Anak, anong gusto mong birthday gift?’ Sabi niya ‘gusto ko magkasama kami ni Sharon Cuneta,’” Duterte said.

The President said Pangilinan then relayed Sara’s request to the actress and arranged a meeting between the two. /idl