Inday Sara, camp confirm tandem with Bongbong Marcos in 2022 polls

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 — For the first time since declaring her vice presidential run, Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio publicly spoke about working with former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

In a video statement, Duterte-Carpio admitted seeking the support of political parties for her and Marcos Jr.’s run for next year’s elections. Notably, PDP-Laban, the political party of her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, allegedly rejected their tandem.

“Ang aking partido ay nakipag-alyansa at humingi ng suporta para kay Bongbong Marcos at para sa akin matapos kong tanggapin ang inyong hamon at panawagan. Tinanggihan ito ng PDP at naiintindihan natin ito,” Duterte-Carpio said in a video statement.

(Our party made an alliance and sought support for myself and Bongbong Marcos after accepting the challenge to run. PDP-Laban rejected this and we understand it.)

“Pero gusto ko lamang na linawin — walang pangalan na sinisira o dinudungisan, walang sinasagasaan, walang inaagrabyado, inaaway, pinapaiyak o inaapi,” she added.

(However, I would like to make it clear that no name is slandered or defiled, no one is abused; nobody is aggrieved, bullied, made to weep, or oppressed.)

Asked to clarify Duterte-Carpio’s statement about seeking the support of PDP-Laban, her spokesperson, Mayor Christina Garcia Frasco of Liloan, Cebu said the Davao City mayor was asking support for “the tandem.”

“The alliance between the candidates for President, Bongbong Marcos, and Vice President, Sara Duterte, is a UniTeam,” Frasco said.

While Duterte-Carpio is running under Lakas-CMD, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) has adopted and endorsed her as Marcos Jr.’s running mate for next year’s elections. Marcos Jr. is the presidential candidate of the PFP.

READ: PFP adopts Sara Duterte as Bongbong Marcos’ runningmate

Marcos Jr.’s spokesperson Atty. Vic Rodriguez has said that Duterte-Carpio has yet to formally accept the endorsement from PFP.

House Majority Leader and Lakas-CMD president Martin Romualdez, for his part, said, “Our standard-bearer has spoken,” referring to Duterte-Carpio’s public remark in support of Marcos Jr—signifying a looming tandem between the Davao City mayor and the former senator.