Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab. Photo from congress.gov.ph
Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, who has reportedly jumped ship from the Liberal Party to the camp of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, said he had always been an ally of the mayor.
In downplaying reports that an exodus of solons has started to support Duterte’s 2016 presidential bid, Ungab said his relationship with Duterte “goes beyond politics.”
“Our relationship with Duterte goes beyond politics… Mahaba talaga pinagsamahan namin. When I joined politics, kami na magkasama. We are friends. We call each other,” Ungab said.
He said the Liberal Party (LP) knew that he had been an ally of Duterte since he was introduced to President Benigno Aquino III.
READ: LP leaders in Mindanao go for Duterte
Ungab said LP standard bearer Mar Roxas seemed to understand his support for Duterte, especially because he and Duterte were from Davao city.
“Nababasa ko naman statements ni Secretary Mar. He understands, because I am from Davao and I am thankful for his understanding,” Ungab said.
“Even when Mar introduced me to PNoy, sabi niya, ‘Mr. President, ito si Ungab, bata ni Mayor Duterte.’ Alam ng hierarchy that I’ve been with Mayor Duterte for a long time,” Ungab added.
Ungab was appointed chair of the powerful appropriations committee since he backed the LP.
He said he did not ask permission from the LP to leave, especially because it was his third and last term as congressman and he would not be seeking another position.
“I’m now a lame duck politician… I’m retiring from politics . I want to enjoy retirement. I want to be with my family so it would be a long, long vacation,” Ungab said.
Davao Del Norte Governor Rodolfo del Rosario, LP Davao Del Norte chair, has also expressed support for Duterte instead of Roxas. His son Anthony Del Rosario is incumbent Davao Del Norte representative who is seeking the gubernatorial position next year.
According to a statement sent by Ungab’s office, other solons who would support Duterte’s bid are Davao City Second District Rep. Mylene Garcia-Albano, Gabriela Rep. vying for Davao City council Luz Ilagan, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, A Teacher Rep. Mariano Piamonte, and 1-BAP Rep. Silvestro Bello III.
In a press conference Tuesday, another Davao city solon Karlo Nograles said he and some 50 solons are set to support Duterte’s presidency bid.
He refused to name the LP members who would support Duterte.
Rep. Nograles of the National Unity Party (NUP) is the son of former House Speaker Prospero Nograles, Duterte’s bitter political rival. NUP belongs to an LP-led coalition in the 2013 elections.
Nograles lost to Duterte in the 1992 and 1998 mayoral election. In 2010, the elder Nograles again ran for mayor against Duterte’s daughter Sara and lost. The elder Nograles served as House Speaker from 2008 to 2010.
READ: Nograles to vote for rival Duterte in 2016
Duterte filed his certificate of candidacy as standard bearer of Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) amid questions of his eligibility to replace Martin Dino, who earlier withdrew his candidacy for president because of a petition to declare him nuisance candidate.
READ: LP man in Mindanao says Duterte is man to beat in 2016 polls
According to his platform of government he submitted before the Commission on Elections, PDP Laban bet Duterte plans to reduce crime, eliminate drugs, and implement a federal form of government, among others.
While he was hailed for his anti-crime crusade, Duterte had been linked to the Davao Death Squad, an alleged gang of assassins purportedly responsible for the deaths of 1,000 suspected criminals in the city since Duterte became mayor in 1988.
“They say I am the death squad? True, that is true,” Duterte once said in a television interview admitting his ties to the alleged group.
READ: Duterte confirms ‘ties’ with Davao Death Squad
Duterte topped the latest results of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) voters preference survey conducted Nov. 26 to 28 or after Duterte declared his presidential bid. He surpassed other presidential bets Roxas, Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Grace Poe, and Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago.
The respondents were asked in Filipino: “With Rodrigo Duterte on this list as a substitute candidate for President, who would you most likely vote for President if the elections were held today?” The survey was commissioned by a Davao-based businessman.
The survey was conducted before Duterte was criticized for cursing Pope Francis. To divert the issue, Duterte had said that he was molested by a Jesuit priest when he was a teenager.
READ: SWS poll taken before Duterte cussed Pope