FILE PHOTO: Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. have a chat at the house of Tingog Sinirangan Rep. Yedda Romualdez in Maria Luisa Subdivision, Barangay Banilad, Cebu City on October 23, 2021. They were among guests at the birthday party of Romualdez, wife of Bongbong’s cousin, Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez. —PHOTO COURTESY OF BBM 2022-CEBU
MANILA, Philippines — The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) is focused on the presidential run of its nominee, former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., as speculations on a possible team-up – or face-off – with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio surface.
PFP secretary-general Thompson Lantion insisted during an interview with reporters that Marcos is still the “most qualified” candidate as he has the “best” platform to rule the country.
“Ang aming bibigyan diin at pansin at doon ay sa kaniyang pagtakbo bilang pangulo ng Republika ng Pilipinas dahil siya po ang most qualified at magaling ang kanyang plataporma,” PFP secretary-general Thompson Lantion said in an interview with reporters.
(Our focus is still on Marcos Jr.’s run as the president of the Republic of the Philippines since he is the most qualified and his platform is really good.)
As for a possible Bongbong-Sara tandem, the PFP official said they could accept President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter in their group if she also believes in federalism.
“Kung talagang nasa loobin nya (Sara) ay naniniwala siya sa ating hanay ng federalism system of governance ay maluwag namin siyang tatanggapin sa aming hanay… kung sakali ‘yun magandang tandem ‘yun para sa kaunlaran naman.”
(If Sara believes in the federalism system of governance, we will accept her in our group… If that happens, that is a good tandem for the development of the country.)
Duterte-Carpio withdrew her certificate of candidacy (COC) for Davao City mayor on Tuesday, further fanning talks that she would seek higher office, particularly the presidency or vice presidency.
As of this writing, however, it remains unclear which national position Duterte-Carpio might shoot for.
But one of her allies, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, claimed that Duterte-Carpio will gun for the presidency. If this happens, Duterte-Carpio will face Marcos in the race to Malacañang.
Other speculations were that Duterte-Carpio will run as Marcos’ vice president, or that Marcos will slide down as vice president of Duterte-Carpio.
Asked if PFP will blink and let Marcos run for vice president instead, Lantion said: “Sa hanay namin ng PFP, sa aming pag-uusap, amin siyang inendorso nung una nung ‘di pa siya sumumpa at na-nominate po siya official candidate ng PFP sa pagkapangulo ng ating bansa.”
(In our group in PFP, we endorsed him way back when he was not a member and then he got nominated as the official candidate of PFP to become the president of the Philippines.)
Nonetheless, Lantion said they will respect the decision of Marcos once the party meets.