FILE PHOTOS Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos.
MANILA, Philippines — While he is actively supporting Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s vice presidential bid, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa will not “openly” declare support for her running mate in deference to her father’s final decision on who to endorse in the May polls.
“Since actively supporting ako kay Inday Sara—and the partner of Inday Sara is Bongbong Marcos—kung saan si Inday, nandoon ako. But I cannot openly say na I am actually supporting [former Senator] Bongbong Marcos kasi nga, in deference to President [Rodrigo] Duterte, hinihintay ko muna siyang mag-announce ng kanyang gustong suportahan,” Dela Rosa, a close Duterte ally in the Senate, said in an ANC interview on Tuesday.
(Since I’m actively supporting Inday Sara—and if her partner is Bongbong Marcos—I’ll support her wherever she is. But I cannot openly say that I am actually supporting Bongbong Marcos in deference to President Duterte, I am waiting for his announcement on who he wants to support.)
“Hintayin ko na lang muna yung magiging decision ni Pangulong Duterte, do’n na ‘ko magbabase ng aking actions,” he added.
(I will wait for the decision of President Duterte, and I will base my actions on his decision.)
Two months before the May 9 polls, Duterte has yet to pick a presidential candidate to endorse.
However, last week, Duterte said the public can choose which Ilocano they want in Malacañang, after noting that there are many Ilocanos in his official family.
The only Ilocano among the presidential candidates is Marcos, who hails from Ilocos Norte. His running mate vying for the vice presidency is Duterte-Carpio, the eldest daughter of the President.
Duterte previously called Marcos Jr. a “weak leader.”
Asked about Duterte’s view of Marcos, Dela Rosa said the President is a “very tactically proficient person.”
“Marami siyang diskarte na minsan nami-misconstrued ng iba, iba iba yung basa nila. Pero magaling sa tactic si President Duterte. Kunwari pa-dislike dislike siya sa tao, pero yun pala susuportahan niya,” the senator said.
(He has a lot of strategies that are sometimes misconstrued and interpreted wrongly by some people. But President Duterte is good at tactics. He may show that he dislikes a person, but in the end he will declare support.)
“Minsan naman kunwari susuportahan niya pero dislike pala niya yon and later in the day, doon na lang niya ipapalabas yung kanyang totoong saloobin,” Dela Rosa added.
(Sometimes, he will show he is supportive of someone but he actually dislikes the person and later in the day, he will make his true feelings known.)
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