Presidential aspirant Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Wednesday denied Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s claims that the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) had rejected her request to support her and former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.’s bid for president and vice president in the upcoming May 2022 elections.
Go, who is seeking the presidency under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan or PDDS, said he would let the PDP-Laban leadership clarify the matter.
“I will let the PDP leadership clarify these matters in due time. Alam ko naman po na wala kaming tinatanggihan (As far as I know, we never rejected anyone),” Go said in a statement.
“Being the administration party, we have always exerted efforts to reach out to those who are supportive of PRRD (President Duterte’s initials),” he further said.
Go said he is supportive of Duterte-Carpio’s vice presidential bid. The President’s daughter would be running for vice president under the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Duterte-Carpio would be running in tandem with Marcos and have firmed up their alliance. Go, on the other hand, has not named anyone to be his running mate.
“With regard to Mayor Sara, we always wish her well. As I have said earlier, kung ako lang ang tatanungin, siya ang aking sinusuportahan sa pagka-Bise Presidente (if you ask me, I would choose to support her for vice president),” Go said.
Likewise, Go retierated that he followed the internal rules and processes of both the PDDS and the ruling political party when he filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for president under the PDDS.
“The PDP Laban and PDDS have a very strong alliance. It is best to ask the PDDS and PDP Laban leadership regarding this matter,” he said.
“We have joined the PDDS and have followed the internal rules and processes of both PDDS and PDP Laban. We are committed to the PDDS-PDP Laban alliance and will support the common candidates of both parties,” Go stressed.
Earlier, Melvin Matibag, secretary general of the PDP-Laban Cusi faction said members of the ruling party “toed the line” when it decided to support Go’s presidential bid.
President Duterte had also filed his COC under the PDDS when he decided to run for senator in next year’s polls.