The Office of the Vice President (OVP) confirmed Monday that Vice President Sara Duterte is endorsing the candidacies of re-electionist Senator Imee Marcos and Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar, citing a shared vision for the country as the unifying reason behind the support.
“The #Duter10 senatorial candidates, running under former President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s PDP Laban, together with re-electionist Senator Imee Marcos and Representative Camille Villar, are united by a common vision–a peaceful and prosperous Philippines,” the OVP said in a statement.
“This vision is solid enough to break through the walls of the existing political division in the country,” it added.
Online buzz surrounding the endorsements began after Senator Marcos posted an official campaign video titled “ITIM” or “Inday Trusts Imee Marcos.” The ad featured Marcos and Duterte exchanging a fist bump.
The endorsement follows Marcos’ earlier move to exit her brother President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s senatorial slate, Alyansa Para Sa Bagong Pilipinas, shortly after the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
As for Villar, despite circulating photos of her doing a fist bump with VP Duterte, Alyansa’s campaign manager Toby Tiangco maintained that the Las Piñas lawmaker remains with the administration ticket.
He clarified that the endorsement should be viewed as “addition” and “building coalition” rather than a source of “political division.”