Evasco: Duterte will back me in May polls sans PDP membership

TAGBILIRAN CITY — Former Cabinet Secretary Leoncio "Jun" Evasco is certain that his bid to become the next Bohol governor will be supported by President Rodrigo Duterte even if he is not a member of the President’s political party, PDP-Laban.

"I don't care if he is endorsing [PDP-Laban candidates] because he is [from] PDP-Laban. I am not [from] PDP but he is coming here personally for me," Evasco told reporters after hosting the campaign stop of administration slate Hugpong ng Pagbabago here.

"That would be after Holy Week, but I don't know yet what day would that be."

Evasco said Duterte will visit Tagbiliran "not as a member of PDP because I am not a member of the PDP, but he is coming here as a personal thing."

"I have been working with him since 1988, until now," Evasco, who is a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), said.

While he is not from the ruling party PDP-Laban, Evasco touted that he has support from different political parties under the Abaka or Alliance for Change in Bohol.

“Halu-halo ito. Tinahi namin ito ng Abaka, an umbrella for all the parties joining me. NPC, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino. The big four political parties are joining me in this crusade for change," Evasco said.

PDP-Laban's bet for governor in the province is House Deputy Speaker and Bohol Representative Arthur Yap, a known ally of former President and now Speaker Gloria Arroyo, a PDP-Laban member.

Evasco, however, sees himself as the "underdog."

"Ganun naman talaga yan, underdog naman tayo palagi. Mas mabuti nga ang underdog kasi masarap ang victory niyan," he said, adding that Duterte himself was the underdog during the 2016 presidential race.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte also expressed support for Evasco's electoral bid.

"We support him in his candidacy for governor. He has been there for President Duterte since his first election and we are very thankful to him,," said Mayor Duterte, the President's daughter and Hugpong's campaign manager. —KBK, GMA News