Presidential aspirtant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (elft) and running mate Sara Duterte-Carpio face supporters in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, on after a caravan on Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021. (Photo from the Facebook page of Marcos)
DAVAO CITY, Davao del Sur, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio asked her supporters in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, on Sunday to protect her running mate, presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“What each of us can do?” Duterte-Carpio said, speaking in Cebuano before supporters who joined the team’s first caravan in Davao del Norte.
“We have to ensure that what we support shall be protected. We should protect our candidate. We should protect BBM [Bongbong Marcos],” Duterte, who is running for vice president, urged the crowd.
“But we should not stop at that, we should also make sure that we vote and protect our vote in the coming May 9 elections,” she added.
First appearance as allies
The two candidates were in Tagum City on Sunday to inaugurate the headquarters of Marcos on Lapu Lapu Street near the highway.
According to Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, the president of Lakas-CMD, the long motorcade, participated in by red-clad supporters, the team’s first public appearance, formalizing the alliance between Lakas-CMD and Marcos’s Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) for next year’s polls.
Asked why they chose Tagum instead of Davao City, Duterte-Carpio said it was because Marcos set up the PFP headquarters there.
“They have an Ilocano family as a solid BBM supporter there,” she said in a text message to the Inquirer. “I was there to give support.”
Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte rejected the alliance with Lakas-CMD, saying he could not support Marcos, whom he described as a “weak leader” — the “spoiled child” and “only son” of the late dictator Marcos.
Instead, Duterte endorsed the candidacy of his long-time aide, Sen. Christopher Lawrence Go, the standard bearer of the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS), the same party under which Duterte is running for senator.
Decision was based on running mate’s experience
Duterte-Carpio said that most of her supporters had felt bad that she did not run for president. But she explained that her decision to run in tandem with Marcos was the latter’s experience as a four-term governor of Ilocos Norte and as a former member of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
“That would help him so he that he can implement the job of being the president of the Philippines,” she said.
Though she herself was experienced as Davao City mayor, Duterte-Carpio said there are times “in our lives (when) we need to stand behind another leader.”
Her father, President Duterte, earlier blamed Marcos for her decision.
Thousands in red
Thousands joined the Davao del Norte caravan, including Ilocos Norte congressional aspirant Sandro Marcos, the presidential candidate’s eldest son, and key political allies in Mindanao.
The caravan, which also included both four-wheeled vehicles and motorcycles, started point in Barangay Guadalupe in Carmen, Davao del Norte. Then it traversed the Guadalupe Bridge, Libuganon Bridge, Magdum Curvada, Palengke, Sobrecarey, Roxas Palengke, Quezon, Abad Santos, Rizal, and Pioneer.
It ended up on Lapu-Lapu Street, where Marcos’s headquarters stood.
“It’s great to see the overwhelming support of the people, mostly volunteer riders who joined the longest caravan in Mindanao so far for the BBM-Sara Uniteam,” Romuladez said. “We express our gratitude for extending their support to BBM and Mayor Sara, our Lakas-CMD Chairperson. Let’s continue to unite and foster positive relationships for the common good of our country.”
Earlier, the president’s daughter returned as head of her regional party, the Hugpong ng Pagbabago, which she left to join the Lakas-CMD, which supported her bid to run as vice president by substitution under its ticket.