FILE PHOTO: Quezon Gov.. Danilo Suarez. Noy Morcoso / INQUIRER.net
TIAONG, Quezon — For Quezon Gov. Danilo Suarez, the tide is changing in this province where Vice President Leni Robredo won in 2016.
Suarez claimed Ferdinand Marcos Jr. may win this time, as he pledged around 300,000 to 400,000 lead for the son of deceased dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Marcos Jr. was here Wednesday to woo voters in the so-called 13th most vote-rich province in the country. Quezon is said to have more than 1.42 million voters.
“Mukhang nababago na ‘yong takbo dito sa probinsya (It seems like the turn of events is changing here in the province),” Suarez, who endorsed Marcos Jr.’s presidential bid, told reporters in an ambush interview.
“Marami kasing naging development at kaganapan sa aming lalawigan which is an eye-opener and this is just one indication (There are a lot of developments and events in our province which is an eye-opener and this is just one indication),” he added.
In the 2016 vice presidential race, Marcos Jr. got more than 171,000 votes in this province, losing to Robredo who received more than 380,000 votes.
Quezon is adjacent to the Bicol Region, which is a known bailiwick of Robredo being a Bicolano herself. Robredo and Marcos Jr. are appearing to be the closest rivals in this year’s presidential contest.
“Boundary namin ang Bicol. Ang kalaban natin Bicolana. So, merong influence ang Bicol sa amin, may influence din naman kami sa kanila. So, na-neu-neutralize namin ‘yon,” according to Suarez.
(We are the boundary to Bicol and we are competing against a Bicolana. So Bicol has an influence on us, but we also have an influence on them so we are able to neutralize that.)
“Siguro mga 300 to 400 [thousand] siguro ang kayang ilamang ngayon… Malaki, malaki. I assure you this would be an unprecedented election result sa darating na election,” he continued.
(Maybe Bongbong could lead by 300 to 400 thousand… I assure you this coming election would have an unprecedented result.)
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