Manila听mayor听changes tune on Duterte admin
PRESIDENTIAL听candidate Francisco听鈥淚sko鈥澨齅. Domagoso, currently mayor of Manila City,听on Monday said he wants to include President Rodrigo R. Duterte in his senatorial slate for the 2022 elections, months after he criticized the tough-talking leader鈥檚听governance听style.听听听
The chief of the Philippine capital, who has vowed to create the听鈥渂roadest form鈥澨齩f government, said he will personally back the senatorial candidacy of Mr. Duterte.听听
“I鈥檓 going to vote for him personally. I鈥檓 going to endorse him,鈥澨齢e told reporters in Cebu City, based on a report published by the state-run television鈥檚 Facebook page.听鈥淚f he’ll accept it, I鈥檒l be honored.鈥澨听
Mr. Domagoso听said he wants Mr. Duterte to be included in his Senate slate as a guest candidate听鈥渟imply because he no longer has a presidential candidate.鈥澨听
The Manila mayor, who had criticized the administration鈥檚 pandemic response, made the pronouncement days after the President鈥檚 preferred successor, Senator Christopher Lawrence T. Go, decided to quit the presidential race.听听
Mr. Domagoso said he would have no problem adding Mr. Duterte to his current three-man slate as long as the President would not be a guest candidate for other presidential candidates.听听听
The local leader is running for president under Aksyon Demokratiko, the political party founded by the late Senator Raul S. Roco in 1997听and听became听his听vehicle for his presidential bid in the 1998 elections. Mr. Roco听lost to Joseph E. Estrada.听听
鈥淲e standby with the pronouncement of our Party President and standard bearer,鈥澨齪arty chairman Ernesto “Ernest” M. Ramel, Jr. said in a Viber message.听听听
鈥淎ksyon has taken a centrist and objective stand on many issues and is not an opposition party per se,鈥澨齮he party chair said.听鈥淲e believe that there are current administration policies and programs worth continuing while there are some that can be improved, discontinued, or rectified.鈥澨
Mr. Domagoso in September said that he would avoid senseless speeches late at night if he becomes听president, in an apparent allusion to Mr. Duterte鈥檚 televised听addresses听in which he has attacked political opponents,听including the Manila mayor.听听
The President earlier said Mr. Domagoso does not deserve to become president given his past as a sexy actor.听听
The Manila chief, who ran and lost in the 2016 senatorial race, had said leaders who flip-flop on their political ambitions could not be trusted.听听听
Months before the filing of electoral candidacies, Mr. Duterte said he would retire from politics once his six-year term ends next year, only to change his mind by filing his candidacy papers for senator at the last minute.听听听
Mr.听Domagoso听used to be a scavenger and pedicab driver in a Manila slum before he was discovered by a听show business听talent听scout.听听
Political analyst Cleve V. Arguelles earlier told听大象传媒听that Mr. Domagoso鈥檚 campaign narrative could be easily discredited听鈥渂ecause it鈥檚 personality听鈥斕齬ather than platform-oriented.鈥澨听
Vice-President Maria Leonor听鈥淟eni鈥澨鼼. Robredo, who has considered herself as part of the opposition camp, had been in talks with Mr. Domagoso and other politicians to unite all presidential candidates critical of the Duterte government.听听听
ROBREDO CAMPAIGN
Also on Monday, a public official who has been part of听the national听pandemic response team led by Mr. Duterte welcomed Ms. Robredo in his home city.听
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin “Benjie” B. Magalong, who was designated contact tracing czar,听said he and the opposition leader are听鈥渃ompletely aligned鈥澨齣n their political views.听鈥淚 admire her.鈥澨听
In her speech at a flag raising ceremony, Ms. Robredo said Baguio and her hometown Naga City听鈥渟hare a lot of similarities鈥澨齣n terms of rejecting vote-buying and violence in politics.听听
Ferdinand听鈥淏ongbong鈥澨齅arcos, Jr., who lost to Ms. Robredo by a hair in the vice-presidential race in 2016, received 75,275 votes from Baguio, higher than听the latter鈥檚 21,108 votes.听听
Mr. Marcos filed his candidacy papers for president in October, angering activists and victims of his father鈥檚 two鈥揹ecade rule.听听
The late dictator鈥檚 son is now facing more than five petitions seeking to block his presidential candidacy.听听
In a related development, the Philippine elections body鈥檚 spokesperson urged candidates who are facing electoral cases to respect the litigation process and refrain from discussing them publicly.听听
鈥淚t is easier for everyone involved if there is some sobriety in this process,鈥澨鼵ommission on Elections spokesman James B. Jimenez told a virtual news briefing.听鈥 Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
