Senator Imee Marcos on Thursday pushed for a Duterte-Marcos tandem in next year’s election, with her brother, former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., running with presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.
“Political wisdom says that if you total up the numbers, it looks good. Like a really solid tandem,” the senator said.
Sen. Marcos also said she doesn’t like her brother running for president.
“No, I don’t. The truth? As his Manang, as his older sister? I think it’s very, very difficult,” she added.
Pressed if the former senator is running for vice president, she said her brother is going to run in the next elections but could not be certain which position he would seek.
The son of the former dictator had lost to Vice President Leni Robredo in the 2016 elections.
“Things are so volatile and he’d be honored to be the vice president or to be the tandem partner of Mayor Sara. However, right now, it’s such a mix-up,” Imee Marcos said.
She said her brother is also perfectly happy to run for the Senate if that’s what’s more likely.
Saying she doesn’t want to be presumptuous, Sen. Marcos said she doesn’t think the Davao mayor has decided to run nationally, but the lawmaker “certainly kept in touch and we’ll remain friendly nevertheless and allied to the President (Rodrigo Duterte). That’s for sure.”
Sought for comment on reports that former President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo negotiated the tandem of the Davao mayor and her brother, Sen. Marcos said: “There’re so many rumors flying around. As you know there are so many names being bandied about also from Lakas as vice presidentiables. Everything’s possible.”
Responding to the query in an interview on ANC if she wants a Sara-BBM tandem, Sen. Marcos replied, “Why not?”
“I think it would be great. It would be fun. I’m used to running with Sara. I have been accustomed to her. I’m used to motorcycles although I don’t know how to drive one. I’m used to it. We campaigned in 2019. So, I’m perfectly comfortable and happy to join her. It’s fun,” said Sen. Marcos.
During the 2019 elections campaign, Sen. Marcos was with the Davao mayor, as her Nacionalista Party was allied with Duterte’s regional party Hugpong Ng Pagbabago (HNP).
“I think there are several parties who allied with the HNP in the last elections. I ran for the Senate under the HNP banner together with the NP, NUP, NPC, and Lakas. So, four parties went under HNP because, if you remember, the party of Mayor Duterte is not PDP Laban like the President’s. Rather, she only has a regional party, the HNP, in Davao,” related Marcos.
“My brother’s really quite open. We just keep joking with him that he needs to go and do something,” said Sen. Marcos, adding in jest her brother needs a job. “He’s been hanging around jobless.”
Right now, Sen. Marcos said people are saying that her brother should run for the presidency, others the vice presidency.
“There are others who say he should run for a Senate seat. He’s open, he just moves around. I told him we should start gearing up,” she said.
“At this point in life, we’ve been through so much. It’s all destiny. We’re open if we are going to be the chosen ones. If you have that fortunate happenstance, just be ready. Just work hard. Have a recovery plan,” Sen. Marcos said.
“Make certain that you will be able to leverage all the new technologies, so that we get better in the future, so we have a sustainable environment that is much healthier, so that we reward companies and people for health and the New Normal, as it were, including all the kids that are involved in financial technologies, all these new payment portals,” she added.
“Let’s encourage all the baking moms. There’s a lot to be done. There are green shoots in the economy that need to be encouraged,” she explained.
