Sara dismisses possibility of replacing BBM

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MANILA – Vice presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte stated on Sunday that she is not considering to replace presidential aspirant and former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. if the petition against him is granted.

Mayor Sara described discussions about her succeeding Marcos as “exceptionally unpleasant”, noting that none of them has yet won an election.

“Personally, I find talks about me ‘possibly replacing a President Bongbong Marcos exceptionally unpleasant as — in reality — both of us are yet to win the elections. It is putting the cart before the horse,” she said in a press statement.

“I am not entertaining the thoughts of a possible replacement as I also do not look forward to a scenario of a disqualified BBM — before or after the elections,” she added.

She claimed that she and Marcos had not discussed the disqualification charges leveled against him.

She said, however, the disqualification cases filed against Marcos have “no basis at all”.

“I maintain that the disqualification cases filed against BBM have no basis at all — orchestrated by anti-Marcos forces desperate to regain control of our country, never mind if they sow divisiveness among our people, never mind if they undermine our freedom, never mind if they make a mockery of our laws,” she said.

Duterte is running for vice president on the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party, while Marcos is running under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas.

They decided to run as a tandem, calling themselves the “UniTeam”.

In a TV interview with TV host Korina Sanchez broadcasted on Saturday, Marcos admitted that he is concerned about the disqualification cases filed against him, but he also acknowledged that his running mate, Duterte, could become president if the petition against him is granted.

“Yes. If I am disqualified,” Marcos replied, when asked if the scenario is possible.

While the Commission of Elections’ (Comelec) disqualification cases against Marcos remain unresolved, he stated that he would not allow them to obstruct his plans.

“Of course. I take everything seriously. I worry about everything. But I do not let it distract me from the campaign,” he said.

The Comelec has yet to rule on the petition seeking to disqualify Marcos for failing to file income tax returns and alleged failure to pay the corresponding tax deficiency.