President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday called presidential aspirant and former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. "a weak leader" and a “spoiled brat” as he ruled out a coalition with his daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio's Lakas-CMD.
Duterte said he would not support Marcos in the coming 2022 national elections even though his daughter is running in tandem with him.
"No. I cannot because Marcos is there. I am not impressed with him. He’s really a weak leader,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino at a recorded event in which he was asked if there would be an alliance between his group and his daughter’s new adopted party.
Marcos Jr., namesake son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, is Duterte-Carpio's running-mate.
"I do not malign anyone, he is really weak because he was a spoiled child, only son. Of course, he can talk, he delivers English articulately because he studied in several places abroad,” Duterte said.
“But if you say there is a crisis, he’s a weak leader and he has baggage,” the President added.
Duterte also said he would only be backing Senator Christopher “Bong” Go.
“I do not foist lies, you will be destroyed,” he said. “But watch out, the Philippines might get it wrong.”
Earlier this week, Duterte sought the support of congressmen for the Go-Duterte-Carpio tandem for the May 2022 national elections.
Diwa Party-list Rep. Michael Edgar Aglipay, one of the congressmen who attended the supposed “relaxed dinner-meeting” with the President, said about 100 congressmen led by Speaker Allan Velasco were present.
“The President delivered a short speech where he endorsed the Bong Go-Sara Duterte tandem,” Aglipay told reporters.
"Standing order, SBG (Senator Bong Go), Sara for 2022 in his (Duterte's) speech," Aglipay added.
The President is joining the senatorial race in next year's election under the Partido ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS) of which Go is the standard bearer.
Initially, Go filed his certificate of candidacy under the ruling PDP-Laban, but due to a leadership rift, he opted to run under PDDS.
It is also for the same reason why Duterte is seeking a Senate seat under PDDS.