Duterte declares support for 12 senatorial bets
Credit to Author: RALPH VILLANUEVA| Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2019 00:13:29 +0000
SAN JOSE DEL MONTE, Bulacan — President Rodrigo Duterte headed a kick-off rally by his Partido Demokratikong Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) for its senatorial candidates here on Thursday.
The President endorsed PDP-Laban’s Maguindanao Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu, former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald Dela Rosa, former Senate president Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel 3rd, former political adviser Francis Tolentino and his former special assistant Christopher “Bong” Go.
Duterte also declared support for six “guest” candidates — Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, former senator Pia Cayetano; incumbents Cynthia Villar, Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito and singer Freddie Aguilar.
Aguilar is part of the breakaway PDP-Laban faction.
All “guest” candidates were present.
In his speech, Duterte said that the people he was campaigning for “loved the country” and would stay even after his term in 2022.
Duterte said that Mangudadatu was part of the family in Maguindanao who has been supportive of the government and was really sticking to the proper path.
He said that he asked Dela Rosa to run for the Senate because of his “core values.”
“[Dela Rosa] is courageous, he loves his country, he is ready to die for the country. This guy, those who give him gifts… this guy is fundamentally honest. He is not asking [for money,] even ask Chinese in Davao,” Duterte said.
He said that he put Dela Rosa as PNP chief because he was not corrupt.
He praised Go for his honesty and willingness to serve the people.
He said that Tolentino was a silent worker who neither cursed nor raised his voice at anyone.
The President said that Pimentel has no problems and that he was a bar topnotcher.
He described Villar as a “mother of the nation,” who “keeps everything in order.”
He called Cayetano as “ever progressive,” who was “very, very, very good” and who has been his partner in politics in other matters.
He called Angara a “tax expert” and a “son of a great father.”
He missed out on Marcos and Aguilar.
All in all, the President said that the candidates have no issues and all they wanted was to serve the country.
In an ambush interview, Duterte said that those in the event were included in his slate.
Meanwhile, Duterte slammed the “hypocrisy” of other senatorial candidates who criticized his administration but failed to do something.
On the sidelines of the event, Senator Manny Pacquiao, PDP-Laban campaign manager, told reporters that the “guest”senatorial candidates were the choice of Duterte.
The rally kicked off on February 12, which marked the start of the official 90-day campaign period for the May 2019 midterm elections.
Panelo said previously that Duterte had a “deep bench” of senatorial candidates.
Duterte had said that he would campaign for people he owed a debt of gratitude to.
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