FILE PHOTO: Presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio as principal sponsors in a wedding held in Cavite recently.
MANILA, Philippines — Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD), the political party from which current Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio belongs, has adopted former senator and dictator’s son Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as its presidential candidate.
In a media release, the party said its officials approved a resolution formally adopting Marcos Jr., who is the presidential bet of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), as its candidate for president in the May 2022 elections.
Based on a resolution of the Lakas-CMD, Duterte-Carpio, being the chair of the political party, “was given the authority and power to choose her presidential running mate.”
Duterte-Carpio is the eldest daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Lakas-CMD officials also approved a resolution authorizing the party’s president, House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, who is a cousin of Marcos Jr., to form alliances with other political parties.
Duterte-Carpio and Marcos Jr. previously announced their team-up in next year’s polls. Subsequently, the Davao City mayor was adopted as the vice-presidential bet of Marcos Jr.’s Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP).
Lakas-CMD likewise adopted a resolution “confirming and affirming” the Davao City mayor’s decision to run for vice president under Lakas-CMD.
Duterte-Carpio shocked many, including his father, when she filed her candidacy for vice president on November 13.
She initially filed her COC for reelection as Davao City mayor but then withdrew days after, and sought the vice presidency through substitution via withdrawal.
Duterte-Carpio then accepted the chairmanship of Lakas-CMD, co-chairing with Senator Ramon Revilla.
In a Facebook post, Duterte-Carpio said the signing of the “Uniteam Alliance” among Lakas-CMD, PFP, Partido ng Masang Pilipino, and her regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) is set on November 25.
She earlier resigned as member and chairperson of HNP, which she founded, but later rejoined the Dava-based political group.
Duterte-Carpio previously revealed that her father’s PDP-Laban Party rejected Lakas-CMD’s offer to support a Marcos Jr.-Sara Duterte tandem in the 2022 elections.
PDP-Laban and Duterte instead backed the presidential bid of his long-time aide who is now a senator, Bong Go.
The Duterte patriarch, however, has endorsed the tandem of Go and Duterte-Carpio to lawmakers.