WAITING GAME. Presidential hopeful Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos is still hopeful of President Rodrigo Duterte’s endorsement. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Despite President Duterte’s previous remarks that former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is a “weak leader,” the camp of the leading presidential candidate is still “hopeful” that the Chief Executive would still give his endorsement to succeed him after the May 9, 2022 elections.
Marcos spokesperson Vic Rodriguez said they are still waiting for the formal endorsement, even though the President had recently said that the public can choose “which Ilocano they want in Malacañang.”
Marcos hails from Ilocos Norte and enjoys the support of their so-called “Solid North.” He also enjoys the highest ratings from various popularity surveys.
“We’re still hopeful and waiting for the very valuable endorsement from the President,” he said in an interview in Bulacan when asked if the President has given his endorsement to Marcos. “Sana ay i-endorso nya si presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos and of course our vice presidential candidate Mayor Inday Sara Duterte.”
(We hope that he [Duterte] will endorse Bongbong Marcos and our vice presidential candidate Mayor Inday Sara Duterte.)
Marcos’ running mate, Davao City mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, is the daughter of the President.
Duterte earlier said he is not supporting any presidential candidate “at this time,” unless there is a “compelling reason” for him to change his mind.
He also said that his faction at the PDP-Laban does not have a presidential candidate because they could not find anyone for the post.
The Duterte patriarch’s political party PDP-Laban, led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, however, has adopted Duterte-Carpio as its vice presidential candidate.
It would be recalled that Duterte had previously rejected a possible alliance with Duterte-Carpio’s party Lakas-CMD while taking another jab at Marcos who he called a “weak leader.”
He had said that he could not accede to an alliance because of Marcos, whose political party had formed an alliance with Lakas-CMD, the party of his daughter.
No, I cannot. Because andiyan si Marcos, e,” Duterte said. “Hindi ako bilib (No trust in him) . He is a weak leader. Totoo yan, di ako naninira ng tao. Talangang weak kasi spoiled child, only son (It’s true, I’m not accusing anybody. He’s just a weak and spoiled child, the only son of the family).”