Presidential candidate and former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. said he is not at all surprised that the leader of the Catholic charismatic group El Shaddai has endorsed his presidential bid and that of his running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio for vice president for the upcoming May 2022 elections.
Marcos said Bro. Mike Velarde has supported his campaign and advocacies in the past and even when he ran for vice president in the last May 2016 elections.
“It’s not surprising, because, like I said, his is a message of love, ours is a message of unity. It works very well together,” Marcos told reporters in an ambush interview after they were endorsed by the group on Saturday night in Parañaque City.
Duterte-Carpio, likewise, thanked the religious leader and the group, saying she also knows that unity is something that is familiar and close to the hearts of the members of El Shaddai.
The presidential daughter said she is thankful that the group will be endorsing the Marcos-Duterte-Carpio tandem.
Asked what made him decide to endorse the Marcos-Duterte tandem, Velarde said both of them have proactively sought out his support in the past.
“Matagal nang lumapit sa akin yang dalawang iyan. Lalo na si Bongbong (Both of them have approached me. Especailly Bongbong),” Velarde told reporters in an interview at the sidelines of the El Shaddai event.
“It’s time for us Filipinos to be united. After all, napagbigyan natin yung mga kalaban ni Marcos ng maraming taon di ba? Baka naman ito may magawang mabuti sa atin (We have given Marcos’ rivals a chance for many years, right? Maybe this time they can do something good to us). That’s why I have chosen them,” he said.