Palace confirms Duterte’s attendance in PDP-Laban campaign kickoff

President Rodrigo Duterte. TOTO LOZANO / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

ANGELES CITY, Philippines—President Rodrigo Duterte will be attending the campaign kick-off event of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) party on Thursday.

According to Duterte’s list of schedule released by Malacañang, the President will travel to San Jose Del Monte City in the province of Bulacan to join his party’s senatorial bets.

The event will also be graced by PDP-Laban’s campaign manager Senator Manny Pacquaio, said Ronwald Munsayac, PDP-Laban’s public information committee chair, in an interview with INQUIRER.net.

Running under the ruling party’s banner were re-electionist senator Koko Pimentel, former Presidential aide Bong Go, former chief of police Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, former Presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino and Maguindanao Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu.

Prior to their own event in Bulacan, the PDP-Laban candidates joined the initial rally of Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) in Pampanga province.

HNP is Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s regional party, which has endorsed its own list of senatorial candidates including PDP-Laban’s five-man slate.

READ: Sara Duterte’s HNP targets to achieve 110 campaign sorties

Earlier, Duterte also announced names of senatorial candidates outside PDP-Laban that he would support for the May mid-term elections.

These includes re-electionist Senators Sonny Angara, JV Ejercito, Cynthia Villar, former Senators Pia Cayetano and Jinggoy Estrada, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos and singer Freddie Aguilar. /jpv

READ: Duterte names Senate bets to support outside PDP-Laban