VP backs Imee, Villar does fist bumps
(UPDATE) VICE President Sara Duterte endorsed Sen. Imee Marcos for senator in a 30-second political advertisement posted on the senator's Facebook page on Monday. Last month, following the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Marcos withdrew from the administration's Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas (APBP) senatorial slate, signaling a break from her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. In the 30-second video, Duterte urged people to vote for Senator Marcos. "Black is now the color of the country," Duterte said in Filipino. "In hunger and crime, mourning." Marcos responded, saying people are hungry for food and justice, while those who are not allied with the administration are oppressed. "Black is the color of mourning," Duterte said. "Black is the color of unity," Senator Marcos concluded. Meanwhile, the Palace said it continues to have trust and confidence in the Alyansa senatorial bets amid reports that Rep. Camille Villar is now also being backed by the vice president. Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro issued this statement after social media posts over the weekend showed Villar together with her father, former Senate president Manny Villar, doing the famous "Duterte fist bump" with the vice president. There were also other photos which showed Villar and Duterte with the president's elder sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, who earlier withdrew from the alliance. Castro said other questions about the alliance would be referred to campaign manager and Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco Tiangco on the same day stressed that APBP — composed of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), Lakas-CMD, Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), National Unity Party (NUP), and Nacionalista Party (NP) — "is intact" with that all candidates "continue to receive overwhelming support both at the national and local level, and even from grassroots organizations." Apart from Villar, Alyansa ticket includes former Interior secretary Benhur Abalos, Makati City Mayor Abby Binay, Sens. Bong Revilla, Lito Lapid, Francis Tolentino and Pia Cayetano, former senators Panfilo Lacson and Manny Paquiao, former Senate president Vicente Sotto III and ACT-CIS Rep. and former Social Welfare secretary Erwin Tulfo. The lawmaker reiterated that all the candidates were handpicked by the president because of their capabilities and experience, emphasizing that the coalition's mission is to rally support behind common goals and ensure the election of candidates who deserve the public's trust. "One of our goals is to build broad support around the shared platform of Alyansa, and our overarching objective is for all our candidates to win because they are capable, committed, and deserving of the trust and confidence of the Filipino people," he said.
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
(UPDATE) VICE President Sara Duterte endorsed Sen. Imee Marcos for senator in a 30-second political advertisement posted on the senator's Facebook page on Monday.
Last month, following the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Marcos withdrew from the administration's Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas (APBP) senatorial slate, signaling a break from her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
In the 30-second video, Duterte urged people to vote for Senator Marcos.
"Black is now the color of the country," Duterte said in Filipino. "In hunger and crime, mourning."
Marcos responded, saying people are hungry for food and justice, while those who are not allied with the administration are oppressed.
"Black is the color of mourning," Duterte said.
"Black is the color of unity," Senator Marcos concluded.
Meanwhile, the Palace said it continues to have trust and confidence in the Alyansa senatorial bets amid reports that Rep. Camille Villar is now also being backed by the vice president.
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro issued this statement after social media posts over the weekend showed Villar together with her father, former Senate president Manny Villar, doing the famous "Duterte fist bump" with the vice president.
There were also other photos which showed Villar and Duterte with the president's elder sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, who earlier withdrew from the alliance.
Castro said other questions about the alliance would be referred to campaign manager and Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco
Tiangco on the same day stressed that APBP — composed of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), Lakas-CMD, Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), National Unity Party (NUP), and Nacionalista Party (NP) — "is intact" with that all candidates "continue to receive overwhelming support both at the national and local level, and even from grassroots organizations."
Apart from Villar, Alyansa ticket includes former Interior secretary Benhur Abalos, Makati City Mayor Abby Binay, Sens. Bong Revilla, Lito Lapid, Francis Tolentino and Pia Cayetano, former senators Panfilo Lacson and Manny Paquiao, former Senate president Vicente Sotto III and ACT-CIS Rep. and former Social Welfare secretary Erwin Tulfo.
The lawmaker reiterated that all the candidates were handpicked by the president because of their capabilities and experience, emphasizing that the coalition's mission is to rally support behind common goals and ensure the election of candidates who deserve the public's trust.
"One of our goals is to build broad support around the shared platform of Alyansa, and our overarching objective is for all our candidates to win because they are capable, committed, and deserving of the trust and confidence of the Filipino people," he said.
