Then presumptive President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. with presumptive Vice President Sara Duterte. (File photo from UniTeam / Bongbong Marcos Facebook page)
MANILA, Philippines — The UniTeam remains intact, said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday.
In an ambush interview in Manila, Marcos was asked about the status of the UniTeam following the departure of Vice President Sara Duterte from the president’s cabinet.
READ: Sara Duterte resigns as DepEd secretary, says Palace
Marcos explained the situation depends on Duterte’s alliance.
“PDP (Partido Demokratiko Pilipino) was never part of UniTeam kahit na noong election. So, it does not change anything for the UniTeam,” he said.
(PDP was never part of UniTeam even during the election.)
“Depende lang kung ano ‘yung positioning ni Inday Sara pagdating ng election. Siya ba ay nasa administrasyon o siya ba ay nasa oposisyon? That will be the only major determinant,” the president noted.
(It will depend on what Inday Sara’s positioning will be when the election comes. Will she will be in the administration or the opposition?)
“But as for the parties involved, pareho pa rin ang UniTeam. Hindi pa nagbago,” said Marcos.
(But as for the parties involved, the UniTeam remains the same. Nothing changed.)
Marcos said his party, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, has already made alliances with the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats and the Nationalist People’s Coalition.
It is also looking at possible alliances with the National Unity Party and the Nacionalista Party.
Duterte recently resigned from Marcos’ cabinet, quitting as education secretary and vice chair of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.
The Palace said Duterte did not explain why she resigned.