MANILA – After earlier expressing her interest to join the presidential race in next year’s national elections, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago confirmed that Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has been her preferred running-mate.
Santiago has been set to file her certificate of candidacy (COC) on Friday at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) head office in Intramuros, Manila. Asked if she was willing to run alongside the son of late dictator Marcos Sr., the veteran senator uttered a resounding yes.
“I think we mutually chose each other, our two camps. We happen to cross each other, the telephone lines happen to cross each other. It’s coincidental. One camp was calling the other camp,” Santiago told reporters during her induction into the Philippine Judges Association Hall of Fame at Marriott Hotel on Thursday.
Marcos, for his part, also admitted a ‘possible alliance’ with Santiago after a lunch meeting with her husband, former Interior Undersecretary Narciso “Jun” Santiago. The senator earlier eyed a tandem with Davao Mayor Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte who refused to run for president.
“We discussed a wide range of subjects concerning the upcoming elections and spoke of possible alliances. We agreed to meet again soon,” Marcos said in a Rappler report.
Marcos’ sister, Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, also hinted on the possible team-up.
“Miriam indicated that she likes Bongbong. Let us see. It was the first time I heard about it and I was surprised and very happy… They had meetings. Bongbong is her favorite. Even in the Senate, she is always talking with him,” she said in a different report.
Enrile surprised on Santiago-Marcos tandem
Meanwhile, Senator Juan Ponce Enrile was surprised hearing reports that Santiago may be running alongside Marcos.
“I never thought about that. I do not know whether Bongbong would want to be a running-mate of anybody… Let us not use suppositions. We do not know. He has not selected anybody yet,” Enrile said.
Pressed for his opinion should the tandem materialize, Enrile would rather leave it to the Filipino people to decide but looks forward to Santiago’s presidential bid.
“I will not be here anyway, so bahala na kayo (it is up to you) at that point… I am afraid. She is too brilliant. She has been running for president for how many times already… Anyway, I was just joking. I thought she was sick of stage four cancer,” he said.
“[But] we’ll see. There was nothing better to do except to run for president. If she was quoted correctly, I can base my assessment about the seriousness of her candidacy on the basis of her statement so I’d rather keep my conclusion,” he added.