The Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi on Wednesday said it respects the decision of former Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio but will support the presidential bid of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go.
“We respect the decision of Mayor Sara Duterte. But the PDP has its alliance with PDDS among others,” the PDP-Laban secretary general Melvin Matibag in a statement.
“Our aliances are strong and our leaders’ and members’ discipline, spirit, and morale are high,” he further said.
“We have toed the line and will support the candidacy of Senator Bong Go for President and President Rodrigo Duterte for senator,” he added.
Matibag issued the statement after Duterte-Carpio claimed that the PDP-Laban turned down her request to support her and former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.’s bid for vice president and president.
Sara’s father, President Duterte, chairs the PDP-Laban which is now split into two factions.
Due to the legal issues surrounding the legitimacy of the Cusi-faction PDP-Laban, Go has decided to withdraw his vice presidential bid under the PDP-Laban and filed his candidacy for president under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan or PDDS of Greco Belgica.
In a Kapihan sa Manila Bay virtual forum, Belgica said they wish Duterte-Carpio well and respects her decision to run with Marcos. Belgica said the PDP-Laban and PDDS will support her bid.
“Actually, Maam Sara...we always considered her a national adviser of the party,” Belgica said during the forum.
“We wish her all the best...mahal namin ang Papa niya, mahal din namin siya (we love her father, we also love her),” he added.
“She was always one of the lead figures of the PDP-Laban-PDDS. Hindi mahirap sa amin na suportahan siya (It’s not difficult for us to support her),” added Belgica.
Last Nov. 13, Duterte-Carpio pulled a surprise move by filing her certificate of candidacy (COC) as vice president under the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
This eventually compelled Go, accompanied by Duterte, to troop to the Comelec to withdraw his vice presidential bid and file his candidacy for president instead.
Duterte had then threatened to file his candidacy for vice president and run against his daughter. But on Nov. 15, the last day of the filing for substitution, the President instead filed his certificate of candidacy for senator.