President Rodrigo Duterte (center in black) raises the hands of PDP-Laban’s senatorial bets during the party’s grand rally on Thursday night, March 31, 2022, in Brgy. Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City. | Morexette Marie Erram
CEBU CITY, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte still has not dropped the name of the Presidential candidate he will be endorsing this May 2022 polls.
However, during his visit to Cebu on Thursday night, March 31, President Duterte named more senatoriables who he will be endorsing in the upcoming May 2022 elections.
They are Alan Peter Cayetano, Chiz Escudero, Loren Legarda, Joel Villanueva, Jinggoy Estrada, JV Ejercito, Gibo Teodoro, and Migz Zubiri, all of whom do not belong to the President’s party, Partido Demokratikong Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
President Duterte made the announcement during PDP-Laban’s first grand rally which was held in Brgy. Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City.
PDP-Laban’s own slate is composed of Astra Pimentel, Rey Langit, Greco Belgica, Salvador Panelo, and Robin Padilla, all of whom were present on Thursday’s sortie.
The party also adopted guest Senatoriables such as Mark Villar, Rodante Marcoleta, Gringo Honasan, and Harry Roque who also joined the event in Brgy. Pajo.
President Duterte, on the other hand, reiterated that he does not want to support any Presidential bet at the moment.
This is despite the decision of several PDP-Laban members, particularly the faction led by Energy Secretary Ernesto Cusi, to back former Senator Bongbong Marcos and his running mate, Presidential daughter, and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.
“I am not endorsing any presidential candidate. Neutral ako. So this is not a campaign because I am not campaigning for any particular candidate… Stop with me. Kasi ito, hindi ito pulitika,” said Duterte in a speech during a meeting of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in a resort in Lapu-Lapu City.
Aside from national candidates, PDP-Laban also formally introduced its bets for local elections in Cebu.
These included reelectionists such as Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, and mayors Michael Rama (Cebu City), Jonas Cortes (Mandaue City), and Junard Chan (Lapu-Lapu City).
The event was attended by approximately 75,000 individuals, mostly residents of Lapu-Lapu City and supporters of Chan’s local lineup. /rcg
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