Alyansa 'happy' as Imee joins rally anew on same day of PDP-Laban slate kickoff

Navotas City lone district Rep. Toby Tiangco (left), Senator Imee Marcos (Facebook/ MANILA BULLETIN)

ILOILO CITY--Indepedent reelectionist Senator Imee Marcos has made her second appearance in as many campaign rallies of the administration-backed Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas. 

On Thursday, Feb. 13 Senator Marcos joined her 11 fellow Alyansa bets at the Gaisano City Center here where an estimated 35,000 supporters turned up to see the senatorial candidates as well as the guest of honor, President Marcos. 

The Iloilo rally was held on the same day as opposition party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) held its campaign kickoff rally at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan in Metro Manila. 

Navotas City lone district Rep. Toby Tiangco, campaign manager of Alyansa, welcome the lady senator's participation at the Iloilo rally. 

"We are happy of the presence of all 12 senatorial candidates and especially the presence of PBBM (President Bongbong Marcos) who came from the RDC (regional development  council) meeting," Tiangco said. 

The presidential sister was also side-by-side with her Alyansa comrades during the slate's campaign kickoff at the Centennial Arena in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. 

Comprising the Alyansa slate are former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III; former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Benhur Abalos; former Senators Panfilo Lacson, Manny Pacquiao; Senators Marcos, Pia Cayetano, Lito Lapid, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Francis Tolentino; Makati City Mayor Abby Binay; House Deputy Speaker Las Piñas City lone district Rep. Camille Villar; and House Deputy Majority Leader ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo.  

Due to her self-branding as an independent candidate, there had been a measure of uncertainty as to whether or not Senator Marcos would faithfully join the Alyansa rallies in the lead up to the May 12 elections. 

She is also known to be friends with administration critic Vice President Sara Duterte, daughter of PDP-Laban chairman and former president Rodrigo Duterte. 

In Laoag, President Marcos gave his unequivocal endorsement of his older sister when he raised her hand on stage. 

In most pre-election surveys, Alyansa bets appear to have secured eight or 10 of the 12 Senate seats that are up for grabs.