Former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro. Image from his Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines — Senatorial candidate and former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro expressed confidence in former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte in winning the elections.
Teodoro said he based his prediction from the “mammoth number of supporters who have been turning out in rallies of the UniTeam tandem across the country.”
When asked if the pair will win in Tarlac during an ambush interview on Saturday, as a former three-term Tarlac congressman, Teodoro said “natural.”
“Nakita naman natin ang init ng pagsalubong kay BBM-Sara. Palagay ko nagdesisyon na ang mga Tarlacqueño. At ako rin kasama nila at ako rin tinatrabaho ko bilang isang Tarlacqueño dahil inaako na rin namin sila,” said Teodoro.
(We saw the warm welcoming BBM-Sara. I think the Tarlacqueños have already decided. And I am also with them and I am also working as a Tarlacqueño because we also support them.)
Teodoro then shrugged off insinuations and notions that the tandem’s rally in Tarlac, which is the home province of Aquinos, was an attempt to revise history, explaining that like the EDSA Revolution, “people are just doing what they feel will bring back their lives.”
“You ask the people whether that’s historical revisionism or not. After EDSA, there was revisionism. So now the people are just doing what they feel will bring back their lives, will bring the Philippines forward, and not history and not turning accusations left and right,” he said.
“We’re here for the future, a forward-looking agenda for the people. That’s what we’re here for,” he added.
He also said that the UniTeam did not mean to disrespect the memory of former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. when his monument was partially covered during the UniTeam rally in Tarlac City, as it was “unintended.”
“We gave respect with our words to everybody. The UniTeam is not here to disparage anybody and I’m sure if there was such an incident, this would be inadvertent,” Teodoro said.
“Our message is one of unity and mutual respect. So, if there was an inadvertent happening then it wasn’t on purpose. We’re so busy on our message of oneness and unity,” he added.
Meanwhile, Tarlac City Mayor Cristy Angeles also said Marcos will win in the city.
“Nakita naman po natin ang mainit na pagtanggap, pagsalubong sa kanya. Ganyan po namin kamahal si BBM,” Angeles said. “Buong Tarlac din.”
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