Leni, Ping Shrug Off Drama, Circus Amid Bongbong-Sara And Bong-Rody Alliances

The last-minute substitution of candidates for president and vice president, including the informal tandem of former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio in next year’s elections, was expected by the camp of presidential aspirant and Vice President Leni Robredo.

“We knew all along it would come to this,” Robredo’s spokesman, lawyer Barry Gutierrez, said on Sunday, Nov. 14, as he scored those who abuse the poll body’s process of substitution of candidates.

“We’ve already seen that drama. We’re familiar with these types of drama – really squeezing it dry, abusing the process of substitution,” Gutierrez said on the Vice President’s weekly radio program BISErbisyong Leni over dzXL.

He lashed at how such political maneuvering messed with people’s heads, but said, “We’ve seen that all before. It’s nothing new.” Gutierrez was apparently referring to the decision of President Duterte to become a substitute to then PDP-Laban presidential bet Martin Diño for the 2016 elections.

On Saturday, Nov. 13, Duterte-Carpio formalized through a representative her candidacy for vice president before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) under the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats banner.

Hours later, her father President Duterte accompanied Sen. Bong Go to the Comelec in filing for substitution for president under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS) party.

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the President would also run for vice president and is expected to file his certificate of candidacy (COC) today, Nov. 15, the deadline set by the poll body for substitutions.

“We know that’s what they want, but we’ve plenty of problems. We have a lot to attend to, mainly this COVID pandemic, along with economic collapse and mass unemployment. It’s been nearly two years since our children went to school, yet you see our leader doing this,” Gutierrez said. “Some say it’s a circus.”

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, standard-bearer of Partido Reporma, and his running mate Senate President Vicente Sotto on Sunday chose not to pay any attention to what some voters call the “political circus” staged by candidates allied with the administration.

“We want to keep the level of discourse at a high level, without resorting to mudslinging and using of gutter language,” Lacson said during the Online Kamustahan activity at the Barangay Tangub Gym in Bacolod City.

Briefly addressing the Duterte father-and-daughter’s entry in the vice presidential derby, Sotto stressed: “It doesn’t matter to us, who is running.”

Sotto, the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC)’s candidate for vice president, said he and Lacson are focused on presenting their platforms and programs to the Filipino people.

Their interview with reporters was simulcast live over 22 other satellite areas in six districts of Negros Occidental.

Joining them online were senatorial bets Monsour del Rosario, a Negrense, and Dr. Minguita Padilla.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, who is seeking reelection, was on tour in Negros Occidental last weekend and described the political frenzy as a reflection of “interesting political times.”

He said the substitutions taking place among candidates of the country’s highest elective positions are unprecedented, but “acceptable” to him. “I love them all. They are all my friends,” Zubiri said at a press conference at Hotel Stonehill in Bacolod City last Saturday.

Bongbong-Sara tandem denounced

In Quezon City, various groups trooped to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) office on Sunday to denounce the presidential tandem of Marcos and Duterte-Carpio.

Chanting “Marcos-Dutere ibasura! (Junk Marcos-Duterte!),” the rallyists – some of whom are members of martial law victims group, Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA) – vowed to frustrate the campaign of the late dictator’s son.

Also joining the protest were members of the Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law (CARMMA), Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), human rights advocate group Karapatan, labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno, peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipi-nas (Pamalakaya).

“With the tandem of Marcos and Duterte, it has been made clear that we have one enemy to beat. We have to unite and work harder to block any attempt to perpetuate a dictatorial and facist regime of the current administration of outgoing President (Rodrigo Duterte),” Danilo dela Fuente, convenor of CARMMA and vice-chairperson of SELDA, said in Filipino.

Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes, meanwhile, described the Marcos and Duterte-Carpio tandem as the “biggest threat to the democratic aspirations of the people.”

In a statement, Pamalakaya said: “This tandem deserves nothing but strong opposition from the democracy-loving Filipinos and from all who are fed up with a Duterte-brand of leadership. We’ve already had a taste of a dictatorial presidency decades ago and now with the current administration. We cannot let another Marcos return to the Malacañang, much more with another Duterte.”

The group also urged the public to be vigilant, suggesting a “high possibility of electoral fraud in favor of the ruling Dutertes” on election day. – With Gilbert Bayoran, Elizabeth Marcelo