MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte has endorsed eight senatorial candidates who are not included in the lineup of his party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.
Duterte named the eight other senatorial bets during the grand proclamation rally of PDP-Laban in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu on Thursday night, March 31.
“So ang ibang kandidato na gusto kong [i-endorse], ’yung may maibigay. Pumili na lang kayo kung sino ’yung magaling,” Duterte said. (So the other candidates that I want to endorse are those who have something to offer. You choose who you think are good.)
He named the following senatorial bets.
In October 2020, It can be recalled that Cayetano and Duterte had a “misunderstanding” over the Chief Executive’s directives on the speakership term-sharing deal with the former’s victorious rival House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco. (READ: Duterte forgives Cayetano for speakership row, budget blunder – Roque)
In introducing Estrada, Duterte said that the senatorial bet was a good choice for the Senate but then he got jailed due to plunder charges. The President wrongly claimed that Estrada was acquitted of his cases that’s why he was out of jail now.
“Pero ngayon wala namang nangyari sa kaso. Ibig sabihin walang ebidensya. Eh pinalabas naman. ’Di naman ’to nagnakaw sa totoo lang,” Duterte said. (But now, nothing happened with the case. It means no evidence was found. They let them out. For a fact, he is not a thief.)
Estrada has been out on bail since September 2017, when the Sandiganbayan 5th Division granted his petition for bail in a close 3-2 vote. In February 2019, he started seeking an outright dismissal of his P183-million plunder case over the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam.
The Cusi-led PDP-Laban faction has already named its senatorial candidates: actor Robin Padilla, broadcaster Rey Langit, House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta, former Cabinet secretaries Greco Belgica, Salvador Panelo and John Castriciones and former energy undersecretary Astra Pimentel. The party also introduced its guest candidates for senator former Department of Public Works and Highways secretary Mark Villar, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, and former senator Gringo Honasan.
PDP-Laban has already endorsed presidential candidate and the late dictator’s son Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Despite this, Duterte said that he will not be backing any presidential candidate.
– Rappler.com
