Aksyon Demokratiko campaign strategist Lito Banayo clarified on Monday, Feb 21, that it was his personal decision not to bring Dr. Willie Ong to their provincial sorties in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
"That was my call. That was my decision. Kasi nga (because), whenever you make sorties or campaign trips, you send an advance team, normally, four or five days beforehand, even a week beforehand. They called me up and they said, 'Boss, puro streamers dito, Isko-Sara,' tarpaulins, puro Isko-Sara," Banayo said in an interview with ANC..
Several groups in Mindanao are rooting for an Isko Moreno-Sara Duterte tandem.
"So I called up Doc Willie, and I said, Doc, baka mas mabuti po 'wag kayong sumama sa Mindanao kasi (maybe it is better if you don’t join) I don't want to put you in an embarrassing situation where 'yung mga (where the) tarpaulins doon (there) are Isko-Sara," Banayo said.
Banayo, however, said that Domagoso did not say anything about supporting Mayor Sara Duterte for vice president.
"He did not say he was supporting Sara at all. He didn't say that at all. Pero doon kasi sa Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat, wala rin naman silang sinabi, 'yung mga speaker, 'yung major power blocs, wala din naman silang sinabi na Isko-Sara (But in Mindanano and Sultan Kudarat they did not say anything too, the speakers, the major power blocs, they did not say that it's Isko-Sara)," Banayo said.
On Monday, Domagoso maintained that he will continue to support Ong, his running mate, irregardless of some sectors endorsing to him a different candidate.
Domagoso and Aksyon Demokratiko senatorial bets Samira Gutoc, Dr. Carl Balita, and Jopet Sison are currently in BARMM for the Mindanao leg of their campaign.