Roundup of campaign sorties: Feb. 12, 2022

Election graphics by INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Following is a roundup of campaign sorties of and related news that took place on Saturday, Feb. 12.

El Shaddai leader endorses Marcos-Duterte tandem

The leader of the charismatic Catholic group El Shaddai endorsed presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and running mate Sara Duterte during the group’s regular prayer rally in Parañaque on Saturday.

It was the first time evangelist Bro. Mike Velarde was seen raising the hands of a presidential and vice presidential candidate at a prayer rally, according to Velarde’s former spokesperson Mel Robles.

“It’s time for us Filipinos to be united. After all, we have given Marcos’ enemies a chance for many years, haven’t we? He may do something good for us. That’s why I have chosen them,” the 82-year-old Velarde said.

Velarde introduced Marcos as “our presidential candidate” and Duterte as his favorite Davao City mayor before they addressed the crowd.

He said he had instructed El Shaddai’s 3 to 7 million members to campaign for the Marcos-Duterte tandem.

Other presidential bets are still welcome to join El Shaddai’s rally every Saturday, but they should not expect his endorsement, said Velarde.

He also said he is supporting senatorial candidates Mark Villar and Guillermo Eleazar, the first of two senatorial candidates he would endorse every Saturday until he has 14 names.

—LEILA B. SALAVERRIA

Leni admits ‘uphill battle’ vs Bongbong

OLONGAPO CITY—Vice President Leni Robredo admitted on Saturday that she is waging an uphill battle against former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after the latest surveys showed she was slipping in her bid for the presidency.

“This is not the time to be complacent,” she told her campaign volunteers on Saturday afternoon after meeting church leaders and city officials.

“We have a lot of catching up to do. We are about 30 percent,” the 56-year-old Robredo said, apparently referring to a commissioned survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The SWS voter preference survey, conducted from Jan. 28 to Jan. 31, showed that Robredo remained in second place with 19 percent of respondents, about 30 points behind Marcos’ 50 percent. Last October, she had 20 percent.

“When I decided to run, I was already looking forward to a sad campaign because my eyes are open to the realities,” she said in a rally in Bataan province. “But you have given me confidence. It’s now turning out as the happiest campaign I had because of your trust in me.”

Robredo, who lost by nearly 100,000 votes in Bataan to Marcos in the 2016 vice presidential elections, credited her volunteers for their initiative in printing tarpaulins, T-shirts and other campaign materials even before she decided to run in October last year.

“This only means that many of our people really want to have an honest government,” Robredo told her supporters outside the St. Joseph Cathedral in Balanga City. “Even if the campaign will be a struggle, you make me very hopeful we will make it to Malacañang.”

—JOANNA ROSE AGLIBOT, GREG REFRACCION AND MARLON RAMOS

‘Unaffected’ Isko Moreno banks on ‘silent majority’

Claiming to be unaffected by unfavorable voter preference surveys, presidential candidate Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso believed the vote of the “silent majority” will be a game changer in the May 9 elections.

“Why should I be affected?” the 47-year-old mayor said in a statement. “I get my strength from the people, the silent majority coming out of their homes to see us. Rain or shine, the people were not deterred in showing us their support, to offer their hands in support.”

According to a commissioned Social Weather Station voter preference survey from Jan. 28 to Jan. 31, 11 percent of respondents said they would vote for Domagoso, a tie with Sen. Manny Pacquiao.

But Domagoso, a former actor, was well received almost everywhere he and his running mate Dr. Willie Ong held campaign rallies.

On Saturday, they motored around densely populated barangays in all districts of Quezon City, one of the areas in the country with the highest number of votes, and were welcomed warmly by residents as well as Mayor Joy Belmonte.

A livestream of the motorcade showed Domagoso and Ong snaking through the Quezon City communities of Barangay Holy Spirit, Barangay Culiat and Barangay Commonwealth, all vote-rich areas.

—JULIE M. AURELIO

Lacson nixes martial rule

Presidential aspirant Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Saturday reassured Filipinos that he would preserve and protect democracy if he is elected in May and rejected fears about bringing back the “dark days of martial law.”

“Definitely, democracy will be preserved. No martial law, no dictatorship,” said Lacson, who was only a young constabulary lieutenant when martial law was proclaimed in 1972.

Lacson was campaigning with his running mate, Senate President Tito Sotto III in Davao de Oro when he was asked whether he would proclaim martial law.

“In the first place, martial law is already defined under the Constitution and the declaration of martial law has its limitations,” Lacson told reporters, adding that any martial law declaration is limited only to 60 days and must be approved by Congress.

“Also, the Bill of Rights is well-entrenched. It won’t be touched. You cannot arrest just anyone even if there is a state of martial law,” he said.

Lacson said he plans to lead the country by enforcing strict discipline among government officials, employees, police and the military, to prevent the abuses and corrupt practices that for years have been tolerated or even encouraged during past presidencies.

“We should really dismiss or cleanse [the government] of inept, corrupt, undisciplined officials and employees,” he said.

—MELVIN GASCON

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