Duterte calls Marcos Jr. a weak leader, rules out coalition with Lakas

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday called presidential aspirant former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. "a weak leader" as he ruled out a coalition with his daughter Sara Duterte's Lakas-CMD.

Duterte was addressing PDP-Laban members at a venue in Calapan, Mindoro when he was asked if his Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan and the PDP-Laban faction to which he belonged would ally with Lakas-CMD party.

"No," Duterte said. "Because andiyan si Marcos, e."

"Hindi ako bilib . He is a weak leader. Totoo yan, di ako naninira, kasi spoiled child, only son," he added.

"He is a weak leader, totoo 'yan, I do not foist lies, masisira ka. Bantay kayo, [baka] magkamali ang Pilipinas," Duterte said.

Sara has announced that she would be backing the presidential bid of Marcos, the standard bearer of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas. 

The mayor of Davao City is the vice presidential candidate and newly installed chairperson of the Lakas-CMD.

GMA News Online has reached out to the camps of Marcos, Sara and Lakas-CMD president and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez for comments. They have yet to reply as of posting time.

Duterte has endorsed the presidential candidacy of his longtime aid Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go.

Both Go and Duterte are running under the PDDS despite being members of the PDP-Laban due to the legal issues hounding the ruling party.

There are two party factions claiming legitimacy before the Commission on Elections--one led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and the other by Senator Aquilino Pimentel III and Senator Manny Pacquiao.

Pacquiao is running for president under the party Promdi.

Duterte took the opportunity to praise Go.

"He is honest, matiyaga (persevering). Si Bong talaga ang personal choice for president," Duterte said.

Duterte also repeated his rant about a presidential candidate who's using cocaine.

"'Yung kalaban niya, I cannot mention his name. As a mayor, alam ko, 'yung mga mayaman sa Davao, pati yan siya, humihirit ng cocaine. Cocaine lang naman, wala akong sinabing shabu," Duterte said.

[As a mayor, I know, the wealthy ones of Davao, even the candidate, they are into cocaine. It is only cocaine, not shabu.] 

Duterte also expressed his full support for the local candidates of the PDP-Laban-PDDS alliance.

“I assure the members of PDP Laban and PDDS are one, we campaign as one and we will work as one. With zeal and passion I will do my best to ensure PDP Laban will again be victorious in the forthcoming elections,” he said.

“Let our battle cry in these elections be heard throughout the country: GO for continuity, GO for victory, GO PDP Laban, and GO PDDS,” he added.

Duterte explained that while they are running for election under the banner of PDDS, their campaign as candidates for the PDP Laban constitution was allowed to strengthen the party's chances of victory during the 2022 national and local elections.

However, he stressed that he would remain a PDP Laban member and will not abandon those who helped him in his governance programs.

“I will continue to serve and be of service to PDP Laban in my capacity as chairman and as a member of the Council of Elders. I will campaign as a PDP Laban member and will do the same for our local candidates who have remained loyal to the party and its principles,” Duterte said. -with Jiselle Causucian/NB, GMA News

The president also encouraged PDP Laban-PDDS alliances to remind the electorate of his administration's achievements, including the passage of the free college education law, free irrigation law, Universal Health Care Act, the administration’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program, and Sen. Bong Go’s Malasakit centers, to boost their chances of victory in the upcoming election.

-NB, GMA News