Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s allies from a faction of the ruling party have endorsed former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr’s presidential bid, boosting support for the frontrunner.
Members of the PDP-Laban party led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi released a resolution on Tuesday backing Marcos, whom they described as the candidate whose “platform is most aligned” with Duterte’s programmes.
Duterte, who remains popular as he winds down his six-year term, has yet to name his chosen successor. His daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, decided to run as Marcos’s vice-president, while his trusted aide Christopher “Bong” Go dropped out from the race.
Marcos, the late dictator’s son and namesake, held a huge lead in the presidential race in last month’s survey. He’s running under a platform of unity and pandemic recovery. Duterte in November called Marcos a “weak leader”, after saying in the past that the former senator was qualified to succeed him.