IT’S official: Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio will run as a tandem in the upcoming 2022 national elections.
Marcos made the announcement Tuesday, November 16, saying that he and Duterte-Carpio have completed the process for their partnership.
“Naitawid na namin ni Mayor Inday Sara Duterte ang proseso para sa tambalang inaasam-asam ng aming mga taga-suporta – ang BBM-SARA sa 2022 (Sara and I have completed the process for a tandem that our supporters have long wanted to see – BBM-Sara for 2022),” he said in a statement.
“Napagkasunduan namin at ng aming mga partido ang pagsusulong ng mapagkaisang liderato sakaling kami ay palarin sa darating na halalan sa Mayo 9, 2022 (We agreed together with our parties to push for a unified leadership in case luck is on our side in the upcoming elections on May 9, 2022),” he added.
Over the weekend, Marcos’ party, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), had adopted Duterte-Carpio, who is running under Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), as its vice presidential candidate after she formalized her candidacy.
Meanwhile, Duterte-Carpio revealed that the ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) rejected her when she sought support for her tandem with Marcos.
“Ang aking partido ay nakipag-alyansa at humingi ng suporta para kay Bongbong Marcos at para sa akin matapos kong tanggapin ang inyong hamon at panawagan. Tinanggihan ito ng PDP at naiintindihan natin ito (My party forged an alliance and sought support for Bongbong Marcos and myself after I accepted the challenge to run. PDP rejected this and we understand it),” she said in a video message.
PDP-Laban, the party her father Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte chairs, is supporting the presidential bid of Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go.
Go withdrew his candidacy for vice president and filed one for president under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS) after Duterte-Carpio announced her decision to run for the second-highest post in the country.
Duterte-Carpio, for her part, maintained that no one was put at a disadvantage over the new developments.
“Pero gusto ko lamang na linawin — walang pangalan na sinisira o dinudungisan, walang sinasagasaan, walang inaagrabyado, inaaway, pinapaiyak o inaapi (But I just want to make it clear — no name is being slandered or defiled, no one is being abused, aggrieved, fought, made to cry, or oppressed),” she stressed.
She also assured that building on her father’s legacy is the reason why she decided to run for vice president.
“Sa muli, nananawagan ako ng pagkakaisa. Ang layunin natin ay hindi lamang ituloy ang mga magagandang nasimulan ni Pangulong Duterte kundi ang mas pagbutihin at mas palawigin pa ang mga ito (Once again, I’m calling for unity. Our goal is not only to continue what President Duterte has started but also to improve and expand them),” said Duterte-Carpio.
“The people will make me strong. And it is through our solidarity and unity that we will be able to build a stronger nation,” she added.
Further, Duterte-Carpio noted that the electoral battle is just starting.
“Nagsisimula pa lang ang ating laban. Alam ko na mahaba at mahirap ito (The fight is just starting. I know it will be long and difficult),” she said.
“Pero kampante ako na sasamahan at tutulungan nyo ako hanggang sa dulo, hanggang maipanalo natin ito para sa ating mahal na bayan at kapwa Pilipino (But I am certain that you will be with me and help me until the end, until we emerge victorious for country and people),” she added. n
