BARUG Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya (Bakud), a political party based in the fifth district of Cebu, has announced its support for the tandem of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio also called the “UniTeam.”
In a press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022, Danao City Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III said friendship beyond politics was one of their reasons for supporting the tandem.
Durano, who serves as chairman emeritus of Bakud, was a staunch Marcos political ally during Martial Law in the 1970s and ‘80s.
He told reporters that he sees Marcos Jr. as a good person since they have been friends for 40 years.
Durano also believes Marcos Jr. will be a “healing President” who can unite and help the country recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Danao City mayor said Bakud's support for Marcos-Sara is unconditional since they will not ask for anything in return.
Marcos Jr. and Sen. Imee Marcos have been informed about Bakud Party’s support in the upcoming election, said Durano.
“If they will endorse us, who will not be happy? If not, then it is okay since I am not a jealous man,” he said in Cebuano.
Former tourism secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano, who is running against reelectionist Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, is Nito’s son.
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Meanwhile, the governor’s daughter Liloan Mayor Chistina Garcia-Frasco and her husband, Rep. Duke Frasco (Cebu, 5th district), welcomed the support of the Bakud Party.
Frasco heads the Marcos-Sara campaign in the province of Cebu while Christina has been Sara Duterte-Carpio’s official spokesperson.
In a statement, the couple said it is heartening to know this after Bakud Party did not support Marcos Jr. during the latter’s vice presidential bid in 2016 as well as Rodrigo Duterte’s bid for President.
The Frascos said they hope that Bakud will adopt the values of the UniTeam in the coming elections “to respect the will of the people, to freely choose their leaders without harassment or intimidation, and to govern fairly with the people’s welfare paramount, free of politicking.”
Nito said while Bakud Party supports the Marcos-Sara tandem, Ace, who is president of the Partido Pilipino sa Pagbabago (PPP) in Central Visayas, is still consulting with other politicians in the province on the presidential candidate to support.
The older Durano said the PPP has endorsed Duterte-Carpio for Vice President.
The fifth district is composed of Danao City and the towns of Borbon, Carmen, Catmon, Compostela, Liloan, Pilar, Poro, San Francisco, Sogod and Tudela.
Nito said they have the support of seven incumbent mayors, six vice mayors, 57 city and town councilors and 116 barangay captains.