Moreno says open to adopting senatorial bets who publicly back him and Ong
MANILA, Philippines — Aksyon Demokratiko presidential bet Isko Moreno Domagoso on Wednesday said he is open to adopting senatorial candidates who publicly announce their support for him and his running mate Dr. Willie Ong.
In a chance interview with reporters in Rodriguez, Rizal, the Manila mayor reiterated his position that guest senatorial candidates should have only one presidential candidate to support, saying being part of two candidates' tickets is "tantamount to fooling the people."
"We won't turn away anyone who's willing to help us. We agreed on that. We just have one rule: the senator joining us has to publicly say that we are their candidates," Moreno said in Filipino.
Moreno recalled that when he ran for the Senate in 2016, he was in the senatorial ticket of Grace Poe. He said he refused to be a guest senatorial candidate in other tickets after he committed to Poe as his presidential candidate.
Local chief executives back Isko Moreno
Moreno said that local and national government officials were beginning to support his candidacy including House Deputy Speaker Paolo John Garcia (Cebu 3rd District), Taguig City Mayor Lino Cayetano, and Pateros Mayor Ike Ponce.
"I hope other mayors can support us,” Moreno, himself a local chief executive in Metro Manila, said.
"With all honesty, of course, I'm hoping for all kinds of help, especially the mayors, for example, they don't have a president yet, congressmen who don't have a president yet, governors, vice governors, officials who don't have a president yet," Moreno said.
This comes as the 47-year-old presidential aspirant resumed his provincial sorties in Rizal province on Wednesday, visiting the towns of Rodriguez and San Mateo with Ong and Aksyon senatorial bets Dr. Carl Balita, Samira Gutoc, and Jopet Sison.
Rodriguez Mayor Dennis Tom Hernandez personally welcomed the Manila Mayor and his Aksyon Demokratiko slate as they made a courtesy visit to the municipal hall.
Hernandez is among a number of former supporters of Sen. Bong Go who have transferred their support behind the candidacy of Moreno after the long-time ally of President Rodrigo Duterte decided to withdraw from the presidential race. The Municipality of Rodriguez has 209,000 registered voters and is a new district of Rizal province.
"Of course, our goal before was just to make a courtesy call to the city hall and pay tribute to our local government officials and through the course of our conversation I was surprised when Mayor Tom spoke up [and supported us]," Moreno said in Filipino.
Moreno also thanked the Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte National Executive Coordinating Committee, a volunteer group that propelled President Duterte during the 2016 elections, as they formally shifted their support behind his presidential bid.
“Of course, I want a lot of help because I really need a lot of help. It's a tough battle ahead of me because our competitors are giants. But then again, any help will do...I think officially [Duterte supporters] also support us,” Moreno said.
"We are hoping that even senators might help us, whoever that might be, and that includes President [Rodrigo] Duterte...hopefully his vote will be a vote for me," he also said.
'Mis-analysis on Moreno's part,' analysist says
Though the two share similarities as presidential candidates, Moreno's relationship with Duterte has been up-and-down.
After a brief period of tension between the two, Moreno has said he would welcome Duterte — who was briefly an aspirant for senator — into his Senate slate with open arms. He has also said he would refuse to turn Duterte over to the International Criminal Court.
In an earlier interview with Philstar.com, Stratbase ADR Institute president and political analyst Dindo Manit said that it was clear earlier on that Moreno was courting the supporters of President Duterte, also a mayor who ran for president.
"He has done very well in the city of Manila during these pandemic times. He continues to do well with his innovative initiatives. But he made a mistake when targeting the voters," he said in a Zoom interview.
"The messaging got lost [with him saying] ‘I am not an opposition candidate.’ He was trying so much to get the Duterte vote...not simply the endorsement. So now maybe he’s going back to his base."
Moreno in media appearances leading up to his proclamation rally framed himself as being the alternative candidate for Filipinos frustrated with mainstream politics. At his campaign launch Tuesday, he implied that the country only continued to suffer after "39 years" under the Aquinos and the Marcoses.
At the same time, Moreno was careful to say that there were "good things and bad things" that happened during Martial Law and the succeeding post-EDSA Revolution administrations. It is also unclear why Moreno added the six years under Vice President Leni Robredo to suit his narrative instead of the failures of the Duterte administration.
"He tries to be in the middle instead of defining himself, without realizing that [saying] ‘there were good things during Marcos’ time’ [can mean] ‘let’s vote for Marcos.’ That’s the mistake; it was a wrong analysis of data and political culture. But why will they vote for you if you’re saying that they’re good?" Manhit said.
"You can be an alternative by standing up on your own, and standing up as Isko Moreno, the mayor of Manila who delivered during the COVID times. As compared to the leading candidate Marcos, what has he done?"
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