Duterte criticisms could affect Sara’s VP bid
Published on: Monday, November 22, 2021
.jpg "Duterte criticisms could affect Sara’s VP bid")
MANILA: President Rodrigo Duterte’s criticisms against presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. could hurt the vice presidential bid of his daughter, who is running in tandem next year with the former senator, a political analyst said Sunday.Aries Arugay, who teaches political science at the University of the Philippines, said Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio should give a reaction to her father’s statements against Marcos.
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“If they’re running together, statements like these could badly affect the vice presidential bid of Mayor Sara,” Arugay said.
“Because Mayor Sara trusts Marcos Jr., she also needs to give a reaction... This is the time when you’re also involved, you can’t hide when your running mate is being attacked,” he added.
Duterte, in an event that aired on Friday, called the son and namesake of the late dictator a “spoiled” and “weak” leader.
It was a change of tune from Duterte’s statement in 2018 when the chief executive said he would step down from the presidency if Marcos would win his electoral protest against Vice President Leni Robredo at the time. Marcos eventually lost his protest.
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Duterte’s father Vicente served in Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s cabinet. In 2016, the President allowed the late dictator’s burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani despite heavy protests.
Duterte is backing the 2022 presidential bid of his longtime aide, Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go.
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Arugay said it is too early to say whether Duterte’s statements would significantly impact Marcos’ campaign.
He also warned that one’s “anointed” candidate may not necessarily benefit from negative campaigning.
“This could backfire... The votes won’t necessarily go to your anointed candidates when you defame another candidate,” he said. But he said the opposition could benefit from such negative campaigning since votes for administration allies will be divided.
Politicians, Arugay said, are obligated to explain why they change the way they talk about other politicians as alliances begin to shift ahead of the upcoming elections.
He urged voters to remember politicians’ statements from the past and now.
Arugay added it is important for Duterte to provide evidence against an unnamed presidential aspirant who, according to him, is a “cocaine user.”
“This is important because this isn’t just any ordinary person, this is someone who is running for public office, “the analyst said.
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