Sara Duterte pushed Bongbong Marcos to run for president when she opted out of the race — Imee

‘HAPPY OCCASION’ Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. have a chat at the house of Tingog Sinirangan Rep. Yedda Romualdez in Banilad, Cebu City. They were among the guests at the birthday of Romualdez, wife of Marcos’ cousin, Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez. —PHOTO COURTESY OF BBM 2022-CEBU

MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio pushed former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to run for president after she opted not to seek the position, Senator Imee Marcos said Wednesday.

“Sabihin ko na yung totoo, nagulat talaga kami. First time siguro nangyari sa buong kasaysayan ng Pilipinas na yung frontrunner, si Inday Sara, e hindi nagpila. Akalain namin talaga na siya ang tatakbong presidente tapos ang pangarap lamang ni Bongbong e maging bise. Magka-tandem,” the senator said in a Teleradyo interview.

(I will tell the truth. We were really shocked. I think it’s the first time that a frontrunner, Inday Sara, opten not to join the race. We really thought she would run for president, while Bongbong only wants to run as vice president. As a tandem.)

“Di namin akalain na hindi pipila. Iyung medyo sidelined talaga lahat. Nagulat talaga, nagulantang yung buong mundo noong hindi pumila. Tapos ang sinabi na lang ni Mayor, ‘Bongbong tumakbo ka na.’ Sabi niya (Marcos Jr.) ‘Anong tatakbuhan ko?’ Sabi niya (Duterte-Carpio) ‘Presidente na, hindi na ko tatakbo.’ So medyo hilo kami, we’re really not ready, but Mayor Sara said she’s not proceeding,” she added.

(We didn’t think she would not join the race. So things were a bit sidelined. We were really shocked, the whole world was shocked when she did not join. And then Mayor Sara just said ‘Bongbong, run. My brother asked ‘What position will I run for?’ She said ‘Go for the presidency, I will no longer run.’ So we were surprised, we’re really not ready but Mayor Sara said she’s not proceeding.)

Sen. Marcos said her brother was hesitant to run for president at first since he did not have a prepared senatorial slate, a party to run under and a vice presidential running mate in mind.

“Sabi ni Bongbong, ‘Ni wala akong slate, ni wala akong partido. Pambihira, wala akong vice president.’ That’s actually literally what happened in all honesty,” the senator said.

(Bongbong said ‘I don’t even have a slate, a party. I don’t even have a vice president.’ That’s what actually, literally happened, in all honesty.)

“Sa swerte naman, for some reason, itong si Bongbong naman nagugulat din kami leading far and away sa iba’t ibang survey,” she added.

(Lucky for us, for some reason, Bongbong is leading far and away in various surveys.)

Still, Sen. Marcos said she is hoping that Duterte-Carpio will change her mind and run in tandem with her brother since this would make “life easier.”

“Lahat kami gusto yun kasi parang mas simple yung buhay namin, may boto sa Norte, may boto sa South. Mas madali ang buhay natin nito,” she said.

(All of us want that because that would make life simpler, we can clinch the votes in the North and in the South. Life would be easier this way.)

“I’m hoping, nagdadasal pa rin kami… We have to give her some space. Bigyan ng konting panahon,” she added.

(I’m hoping, we’re still praying…We have to give her some space. Give her some time.)

Speculations regarding a possible tandem between Duterte-Carpio and Marcos Jr. resurfaced after the two met in Cebu last week.

But Marcos Jr.’s chief of staff, lawyer Victor Rodriguez, said the two being in Cebu at the same time was “just another beautiful coincidence.”

EDV