Bongbong Marcos files COC for president in Eleksyon 2022

Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for president in next year's elections.

Marcos filed his COC past 11 a.m. at the Harbor Garden Tent at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila in Pasay City. He was accompanied by his wife, Liza Araneta.

On Tuesday, Marcos, in a Facebook video, announced that he was joining the 2022 presidential race. He made the announcement on the same day he took oath as a member of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), a political party allied with the Duterte administration.

PFP earlier endorsed Marcos for the 2022 presidential race last September 21, the anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law by his father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos.

PRRD eyed as VP bet

At a short press briefing, Marcos said PFP initially considered President Rodrigo Duterte as its vice presidential candidate, but it changed last Saturday when the President announced that he is retiring from politics.

"The original plan was for us to adopt PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) for our vice presidential candidate, pero sa mga nangyari noong nakaraang Sabado ay nagbago lahat ng plano [but what happened last Saturday changed all that]" he said.

"Kaya't ngayon nagkokonsulta ang partido kung ano dapat gawin [So right now the party is discussing what to do next] and what do we do now," he added.

Duterte instead accompanied his longtime aide, Senator Bong Go, in filing his COC for vice president last Saturday.

Asked if he is willing to take Go as their vice presidential candidate, Marcos said:  "Paano iyon, Bongbong Bong? Bong to the third power? Baka puwede rin, we'll see."

Go said he could “work with anyone,” adding that he will respect whoever the Filipino people will vote for.

Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL), the party founded by the elder Marcos, also nominated Bongbong as its presidential candidate in next year's elections.

Marcos said PFP will bare its Senate slate "within days from now."

"Kung mapupuno yung 12 slate I cannot say for sure, but at the very least we will field seven or eight," he said.

Sara, Leni

On the other hand, Marcos admitted that he had talked with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte about politics during his visit in Davao City in May but he quickly added that no specifics were discussed.

Marcos said he has not yet communicated with Mayor Duterte ever since.

Asked if he is ready to "fight" Vice President Leni Robredo in the 2022 elections if ever she decides to accept the opposition coalition's nomination for her to be its standard bearer, Marcos said: “I do not have any fight with VP Leni, I’m running for president. I’m not fighting against anyone… It’s not going to be that kind of election, marami kami (there are a lot of candidates who will run).”

Marcos reiterated that he wanted to be a “unifying leader” in the face of the COVID-19 crisis.

In August, Marcos said he would run for president if he could muster enough support.

Marcos lost the 2016 vice presidential race to then-Camarines Sur Representative Robredo by 263,473 votes. He protested his defeat before the Supreme Court, which eventually ruled in Robredo's favor. —KBK/VBL, GMA News