Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte (FILE PHOTOS)
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno is a “no brainer” choice for supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte, said actress Vivian Velez on Wednesday.
Velez, the lead convenor of an alliance backing the tandem of Moreno and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio, added that the Manila chief executive is the best choice among all presidential candidates.
Velez added that the so-called Duterte Diehard Supporters (DDS) groups have also reached a “collective decision” to support Moreno despite the President’s pronouncement that he prefers to stay “neutral” in terms of supporting a presidential candidate.
“As we are branded to be a DDS, which is a Duterte Diehard Supporters, it is the collective decision of each group to push for the Isko-Sara [tandem],” Velez said, partly in Filipino, during the launch of ‘Isang Pilipinas’ at the Club Filipino in San Juan City.
“Although he (Duterte) is neutral, we went through the process of elimination. He is definitely not endorsing BBM or Bongbong Marcos, so he is not supporting him. He is also not supporting Leni Robredo. As we go through that process of elimination, it is no-brainer for us to choose Isko because we think he is the best candidate for president,” Velez said.
Duterte earlier took jabs at former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, his daughter’s running mate, saying he is a “weak leader who has baggage.”
Moreno meanwhile welcomed the support of Duterte’s supporters, saying he needs all the help he could get.
The Manila mayor even joked that “DDS” now stands for “Domagoso Diehard Supporters.”