Vice presidential candidate Sara Duterte-Carpio on Thursday, Jan. 13 rejected supposed calls for her to run alongside aspiring president Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso for the upcoming elections as she reaffirmed her loyalty to another presidential aspirant, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
"I truly appreciate the love of so many for me and I do not wish to impose upon you my choice for president. While I continue to respect your decision to support another presidential candidate, it is with a heavy heart that I cannot be one with you on this," Duterte-Carpio said in a statement after a group that introduced themselves as purveyors of ISSA—or Isko-Sara Tandem—came out.
Despite challenges and limitations she is facing, Duterte-Carpio said, the groundwork for her candidacy as vice-president "is moving well with the help of my volunteers and supporters nationwide, who give me strength, fortitude, and inspiration."
"Lagi ring nandyan si Bongbong Marcos, ang aking kandidato sa pagka-pangulo," she said.
"Dahil sa kanyang karanasan sa pamamahala, naniniwala ako sa kahandaan at kakayahan ni BBM na pamunuan ang ating bansa. Nang nagdesisyon akong tumakbo pagka-vice-president, pinili ko pong maging ka-tandem si BBM. Dahil dito, nabuo ang Uniteam BBM-Sara (His experience in governance was what made me believe he could lead the country. When I decided to run for vice presidency, I chose to be in tandem with Marcos Jr., which led to our alliance called Uniteam BBM-Sara)," she said.
Duterte also reaffirmed her loyalty to her party, Lakas-CMD as well as to Marcos' Partido Federal ng Pilipinas.
"Mahalaga po sa akin ang paninindigan at isang salita. Alam ko po na pareho ang ating mga adhikain para sa ating bansa. At para magtagumpay tayo, dapat ay iisa lang ang daang ating tinatahak (It's important for me to stand by my word. I know that we all have the same aspiration for the country. And in order to attain this, we need to follow the same path)," she said.