TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte — It was in Tagum City where Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio appeared in public as a tandem back in November 2021. Now, this city served as the venue of their miting de avance in Mindanao.
In November 2021, the Marcos-Duterte tandem visited Davao del Norte for the inauguration of Marcos’ headquarters in Tagum City.
This happened just days after announcing their tandem for the 2022 national elections: Marcos will vie for the presidential seat while Duterte-Carpio will vie for the vice presidency.
Back then, Duterte-Carpio asked her supporters to “protect” Marcos.
READ: Sara Duterte asks supporters in Davao del Norte to protect Bongbong Marcos
Nearly six months later and three days before the election day, Duterte-Carpio had the same appeal to her fellow Davaoenos—for them to help bring Marcos to Malacanang.
“Si Bongbong Marcos, sa kabuuan ng kanyang pagtakbo at kampanya, hindi siya nakipag-usap sa mga grupo o mga tao na gustong gibain ang ating gobyerno para lamang siya ay manalo,” Duterte-Carpio said in Bisaya as she recalled an attack made by communist rebels to a factory in Davao City back in 2017.
(During the course of his campaign, Bongbong Marcos never had talks with groups or people who want to topple the government just for him to win.)
“Kaya ako, boboto ako kay Bongbong Marcos. Nakikiusap ako sa inyo, iboto natin—Bongbong Marcos,” she added.
(That’s why I will vote for Bongbong Marcos. I also appeal to you, let’s vote for Bongbong Marcos.)
It was not surprising that the tandem opted to return to the Davao region to cap off their campaign in Mindanao. After all, the region is a known bailiwick of the Duterte family.
Duterte-Carpio, who is the daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, is the outgoing mayor of Davao City.
“Syempre anak siya ni Digong [President Rodrigo Duterte] (Of course, she is the daughter of President Duterte),” Rae Karla Agosila told us when asked why she supports Duterte-Carpio.
“Basta Bisaya, suportado siya ng mga Bisaya kaya solid dito sa Mindanao (A Bisaya will support a Bisaya so we’re solid here in Mindanao),” she added.
We asked one supporter, Rae Karen Agosila, for her reasons for backing the Marcos-Duterte tandem. She says Marcos does not engage in negative campaigning while Sara Duterte is the daughter of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte. @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/Mo02xLZQW5
— Neil Arwin Mercado (@NAMercadoINQ) May 5, 2022
In Duterte’s home turf
Many of the senatorial candidates appealed to the voters by mentioning their support for President Duterte, possibly to woo the Davao populace.
Right before Marcos spoke, a video was played wherein the presidential candidate sang praises about his running mate, Duterte-Carpio.
This was the very first time that the said video was played in the entire three-month campaign of the Marcos-Duterte tandem. Previously, Marcos would campaign for Duterte-Carpio in his actual speech.
“Hindi ko ipagyayabang na si Inday Sara Duterte, na aking ka-UniTeam ay napakagaling na mayor ng Davao. Ngunit, nilabanan niya ang kriminalidad, binigyan ng kinabuksan ang mga Davaoeno,” Marcos said in the said video.
(I will not boast about how good Inday Sara Duterte is as mayor of Davao. But she fought against criminality and gave a future to Davaoenos.)
“Sa kabila ng kanyang pagiging matapang ay buong puso naman siyang nagmamahal sa mga Pilipino. Kahit buhay ko, ipagkakatiwala ko sa kanya,” he added.
(Despite her courageous nature, she wholeheartedly loves Filipinos. I will even entrust my life to her.)
In addressing the crowd, Marcos, consistent to his previous speeches, stuck to his usual call for unity.
According to Marcos, a vote for the UniTeam is a vote for unity and love of the country.
Not captured in this clip but in his speech, Marcos says a vote for the Marcos-Duterte tandem is a vote for unity, a vote for the love of the country. @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/bFcXkft4uz
— Neil Arwin Mercado (@NAMercadoINQ) May 5, 2022
“Ang pagboto ninyo sa tambalang Marcos-Duterte, ang pagboto ninyo sa lahat ng senador ng UniTeam, ay ang tinig ng inyong… ng ating mga kababayan, ang tinig ng madlang Pilipino na kayo ay bumoboto para sa kinabukasan,” Marcos said.
(Your vote for the Marcos-Duterte tandem, as well as the UniTeam senators, is your and our countrymen’s voice that you are voting for our future.)
“Kayo ay bumoboto para sa pagkakaisa, kayo ay bumoboto para sa bawat pangkaraniwang mamamayang Pilipino, kayo ay bumoboto sa ating pagkakaisa. Ang boto ninyo para kay Marcos at Duterte at sa UniTeam ay ang boto para sa pagmamahal ng Pilipinas,” he added.
(You are voting for unity, you are voting for every ordinary Filipino, you are voting for our unity. Your vote for the Marcos-Duterte tandem and the UniTeam is a vote for your love of the Philippines.)
The Duterte-Carpio tandem will hold another miting de avance on May 7, the final campaign day, in Parañaque City.