Image: Screengrab from YouTube/Bongbong Marcos
MANILA, Philippines — The camp of presidential aspirant Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has opted to ignore President Rodrigo Duterte’s jabs, calling the son of a former dictator a “weak leader” and a “spoiled child.”
“We respect the President at hindi nagbabago ‘yung paggalang, respeto, at mataas na pagkilala at pagtingin sa kaniya ni Bongbong Marcos,” Marcos’s chief-of-staff Vic Rodriguez told reporters in an interview.
(Marcos’ respect and regard for the President have not changed.)
READ: Duterte takes jab at Bongbong Marcos anew, calls him ‘weak leader’
Duterte earlier belittled Bongbong as a “weak leader” as he rejected a possible alliance with Lakas-CMD, the party of Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio, the running mate of Marcos Jr.
“No. No, I cannot. Because andiyan si Marcos, e, (the party includes Marcos)” Duterte said.
“Hindi ako bilib (No trust in him) . He is a weak leader. Totoo yan, di ako naninira ng tao. Talagang weak kasi spoiled child, only son (It’s true, I’m not disparaging anybody. He’s just a weak and spoiled child, the only son of the family),” the President added.
He further called Marcos a “weak leader who has baggage.”
Duterte earlier named Marcos as behind his daughter Sara’s decision to run for vice president, a decision he admitted he “did not like.”
READ: Duterte baffled by Sara’s decision to run for VP
The President has shown his support for the presidential bid of his long-time aide-turned-senator Bong Go and expressed wanting his daughter to be Go’s running mate.
He even endorsed the tandem of Go and Sara to a meeting with lawmakers.
READ: Duterte endorses Bong Go-Inday Sara tandem in meeting with lawmakers