Vice President Sara Duterte’s endorsement of presidential sister Senator Imee Marcos set off arguments among Duterte supporters and some candidates of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), her father’s political party.
Vice President Sara Duterte is featured in the latest campaign video of reelectionist Senator Imee Marcos. (Screengrab from Senator Imee R. Marcos Facebook page)
Former presidential spokesman Harry Roque emphasized in a video uploaded on social media that Marcos should not be trusted, but called on Duterte supporters to trust and back the Vice President’s decision.
"Ngayon walang kadudaduda po bagamat nagbigay ng panandaliang suporta sa mga Duterte, hindi na po maaalis sa isipan natin na hindi talaga pwedeng tuluyang pagkatiwalaan ang mga Marcoses (There is no question now that although they gave their momentary support for the Dutertes, the Marcoses cannot be fully trusted),” he said.
Roque’s remarks came after Marcos released her “ITIM” political ad, which shows her and Duterte together. In the video, the Vice President officially endorsed the presidential sister.
A photo circulating on social media also showed Duterte’s behind-the-scene video shoot with Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar, who is also running for senator.
In an interview in Danao City, Cebu on Tuesday, April 22, the Vice President said it should come as a no surprise that she would endorse both Marcos and Villar because she has known them long enough.
PDP-Laban’s senatorial bets Jimmy Bondoc and Raul Lambino, both part of the so-called Duter10, pointed out that their party’s nomination and endorsement went through a process.
“Ang official endorsement ay dumaan sa proseso sa partido, at totoong gusto ipaboto sa inyo ng mga leader natin. Ang hindi official endorsement ay bunga na maraming posibleng dahilan (The official endorsement went through the party’s process, and our leaders truly want you to vote for them. An unofficial endorsement is born from many possible reasons): political accommodation, honest personal preference, political contingency,” Bondoc said.
For her part, Duterte admitted that her father did not give his blessings to her endorsement of Marcos and Villar, stressing that the Duter10 candidates are the only ones who he’s endorsing to the Senate.
Even Honeylet Avanceña, the former president’s common-law wife, said that she doesn’t believe in Marcos, who led a Senate inquiry into the elder Duterte’s arrest.
Supporters of the former president on social media also dismissed the Vice President’s endorsement of Marcos, in particular.
They commented that unless the presidential sister was endorsed by their “Tatay Digong” himself, they wouldn’t be voting for her in next month’s polls.