CAVITE, Philippines — Senatorial candidate Samira Gutoc took the cudgels for Aksyon Demokratiko vice presidential bet Doc Willie Ong who, she said, was being “belittled” by other people.
Gutoc turned emotional during Aksyon Demokratiko town hall meeting in General Trias, Cavite on Friday.
“Doctor Willie Ong, yung sinasabi niyong di mananalo, pero bakit niyo pinapakinggan? Bakit ganoon sa oras na kailangan niya tayo, hindi niyo siya kaya ipaglaban?” Gutoc, who was already in tears, said in a speech.
(Doctor Willie Ong, they always said who is not going to win, but why are you listening to him? But why in these moments when he needs us, we could not fight for him?)
Ong later went down from the stage then tapped Gutoc’s shoulder to comfort her.
“Doc hindi ko kaya, bakit ganun? Minamaliit niyo si Doc Willie,” Gutoc said, addressing Ong.
(Doc, I can’t take this, why does it have to be like this? Why are you all belittling Doc Willie.)
Gutoc, addressing the audience, said: “Kailangan tayo ni Doc Willie, na maipakita na hindi lang malalaking pangalan ang pwede.”
(Doc Willie needs us, let’s show that those who don’t have a prominent name could win.)
Doc Willie Ong speaks to the media during an ambush interview in General Trias, Cavite. INQUIRER.net photo / JOHN ERIC MENDOZA
Some supporters of presidential candidate Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso have been pushing a tandem consisting of him and Sara Duterte-Carpio.
READ: Isko Moreno: Doc Willie still my VP, but I respect choices of other voters
It can be recalled that Ong was not included in the three-day sortie in Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato, where local officials declared their support to the Isko-Sara tandem.
Even the vehicle Moreno used for his motorcade bore his poster together with Duterte, which received mixed reactions online.
But Domagoso said he will stick to Ong but also remarked that he respects the choice of his other supporters who are pushing an Isko-Sara tandem.
READ: Doc Willie keeps ‘eyes on the ball’: No hard feelings despite ‘mix and match’ VP bets for Isko