Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer Isko Moreno Domagoso on Wednesday said he remains unperturbed by the decision of the ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan to endorse the candidacy of his rival presidential frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“I am not threatened,” Moreno said, in an interview at the sidelines of the turn-over ceremony of the newly-renovated University of Manila. Annex Building.
Moreno admitted though that the move may have likely made his campaign more difficult, he pointed out that he is no stranger to adversities, his life being full of them—from being a scavenger, a pedicab driver, a “mere” high school graduate Manila city councilor, vice mayor and mayor before the start of the pandemic.
“Just to be fair to you, of course, my fight will be even harder. Because pedigrees, and even supported with pedigrees again, are very large political groups. Of course, I have to be honest with the people, that if they join me, they will join the hard fight, not the easy fight,” Moreno said.
The 47-year-old city mayor on Wednesday led the ceremonial turnover of the UDM’s Henry Sy Sr. Campus CMIT Bldg. located at Carlos Palanca corner Helios Streets in Sta. Cruz, Manila.
“My fight was harder. But just the same, remember, all the books of my life, my fight is hard. By the mercy of God and thank God, I overcame everything, I succeeded. I think that with God’s help and yours, I can overcome this challenge in life. That’s why I always tell people, let’s not give up,” Moreno said.
Moreno said the new challenges brought by the recent development only motivates him to reach out directly to the people, to reach as many Filipinos as he can in as many places as possible till May in order to get the most important endorsement of all—the votes of ordinary Filipinos.
“As for us, we will continue to face people, we will continue to face people, go straight to people. More roads, more town halls, more eyeballs. The only challenge is geography. But we will continue,” he stressed.
When asked of his thoughts on the endorsement of a party formed in opposition to the Marcos dictatorship for the dictator’s son, Moreno said he will just leave it to the people to judge for themselves.
The PDP was founded by the late senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. in 1982 as an opposition party against the Marcos dictatorship. Laban on the other hand, was founded in 1978 by no less than then imprisoned Benigno Aquino Jr. also to fight the Marcos dictatorship. Laban was the political party of the Aquino-led opposition candidates in the Interim Batasan Pambansa elections in 1978.
“It’s not up to me to judge their decision. But I agree with you, that this party, is historically true, formed to fight the dictatorship. That is a fact.
But to judge their decision today, let me let the people decide if that is right, is that reasonable, or morally acceptable,” Moreno said.
“Because if the reason why it existed was to oppose the dictatorship in the past, then now with them, let the people decide,” he added.
Earlier on Tuesday, Team Isko political and campaign strategist Lito Banayo criticized the decision of the Marcos-opposed PDP-Laban to endorse the presidential bid of Marcos Jr.
“How a PDP-Laban can now support the candidacy of the son of the nemesis of their party’s founding fathers is beyond any principled choice,” Banayo said.
Moreno said he is still hoping for the endorsement of President Rodrigo Duterte, whose endorsement is not bound to that of PDP-Laban as the Palace clarified Tuesday.