CEBU CITY, Philippines—Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and his party, Barug-PDP Laban, in coalition with Kugi Uswag Sugbo (KUSUG), officially endorsed former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. as President and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as Vice President for the coming May 2022 polls.
Rama announced this in a press conference from his home at the Rama Compound here on Wednesday, January 26, 2022.
Running as the party’s standard bearer, Rama was joined by partymates including Councilor Raymond Garcia, who will be running for vice mayor under KUSUG, and their complete slate.
“After consulting some of national personalities, needless to say who they are, definitely as of the moment, we officially make a statement that our Presidential candidate is BBM, Bongbong Marcos. Our Vice President is Sara Duterte,” said Rama.
Rama said the matter of the Presidential endorsement has long been discussed by the group, but he waited for the decision of the entire party.
In previous statements, Rama said he will be supporting the endorsed candidate of President Rodrigo Duterte since they are part of PDP Laban.
However, the President has yet to name a supported candidate with Senator Christopher “Bong” Go retreating from the presidential race.
“We don’t dictate the President. We only hope that he will also be with us in this direction. And we always respect whatever position the President will take,” said Rama.
Rama said he hopes the President will not end up endorsing someone else and not Marcos. He said, though, that he doesn’t see his party changing presidential endorsement even if President Duterte would end up endorsing someone else.
But he assured the President that Partido Barug will remain his steadfast supporters and allies politically.
/bmjo
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