Philippines President's daughter announces her alliance with Marcos Jr in 2022 vote

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's daughter, Sara Duterte, announced on Tuesday, November 16, that she will compete for vice president in next year's elections alongside presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the late Philippines dictator's son and namesake. Due to her popularity and strong lead in all opinion surveys this year on favoured candidates, the 43-year-old Sara was anticipated to seek to run for vice president. Sara and Marcos, who have done well in survey polls, are considered as a formidable combo in an election to challenge Duterte's six-year leadership. 

Davao Mayor Sara Duterte said in a Facebook video, "My party has made an alliance and asks for support for Marcos and myself after I accepted your challenge and your call." 

According to various media reports, working with Sara improves Marcos' chances of regaining power after his late father was deposed in the 1986 People Power revolution, ending his two-decade rule. The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Marcos' party, did not have a vice presidential candidate. It chose the president's daughter as Marcos' running mate when she filed her candidacy for the country's second highest post on Saturday.

Her partnership with Marcos pits the presidential daughter against her father, who has stated that he will support longtime adviser Sen. Bong Go, a candidate for president from a rival party. Despite leading opinion surveys for the presidency, Duterte indicated over the weekend that he did not approve of his daughter's choice to run for vice president. Marcos, he maintained, had decided on Sara's candidacy, which had not been discussed with him.

President Rodrigo Duterte to run for senator in next year's election

According to a candidacy filing accessed by CNN, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte will run for senator in next year's election, ruling him out of a potential vice presidential race against his daughter. As per the report, President Duterte filed his candidacy in the final hour before registration closed at 5 pm local time on Monday. The move comes after much back-and-forth over which position to run for in the 2022 election. Duterte is no longer eligible to run for president. Duterte's presidential spokesman stated that he would not run against his daughter, according to the news agency. The president and vice president of the Philippines are elected in separate elections. Duterte is ineligible to run for president again, but he is entitled to run for vice president, senator, congressman, mayor, or governor. Before campaigning for president in 2016, he was the mayor of Davao City.  

(With inputs from agencies)

(Image: AP)