FILE PHOTO: Sara Duterte-Carpio. Photo from the Davao City Information Office
MANILA, Philippines — Vice presidential candidate Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio did not skip a campaign rally in Palawan on April 25 because a visit to the province that day was not on her schedule in the first place.
This was the explanation of Duterte-Carpio’s party, Lakas Christian-Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), on Wednesday as it denied social media posts regarding their vice presidential bet’s supposed absence in the grand rally in Palawan on Monday.
Lakas-CMD said there was a “no-show to speak of because the UniTeam tandem of former Sen. Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. and Mayor Sara had no appointment to be at that campaign rally.”
“The Palawan rally was a political event organized by local support groups/slates. Such an event was not included in the UniTeam’s calendar of activities,” Lakas-CMD pointed out in a statement.
“As the UniTeam proceeds with the few remaining weeks of campaign to the May 9 election day, we urge our supporters and allies to follow official social media and mainstream media platforms for official announcements,” it added.
Based on the latest Pulse Asia presidential survey released on April 6, Marcos garnered 56 percent while Vice President Leni Robredo is second at 24 percent.
Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso was in third place with 8 percent of respondents picking him as the next president while Senator Manny Pacquiao ranked fourth with 6 percent and Senator Panfilo Lacson was in the fifth spot with 2 percent.
Meanwhile, Duterte-Carpio leads the vice presidential survey with 56 percent followed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III with 20 percent.
Behind Duterte-Carpio and Sotto were Senator Francis Pangilinan with 15 percent, Dr. Willie Ong with 5 percent, and Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza with 1 percent.