At Ilocos Sur rally, Sara reads out Robin’s name in senate slate

ILOCOS SUR—Vice-presidential candidate Sara Duterte-Carpio mentioned again on Thursday the name of actor Robin Padilla while announcing the UniTeam's senatorial lineup.

Duterte-Carpio, running under Lakas-CMD in tandem with presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., made the remark again at a UniTeam rally in Narvacan town with Padilla in attendance.

When she did this the previous night at a rally in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, Marcos, who belongs to Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, clarified that Padilla is not part of the UniTeam's senatorial slate.

• Robin Padilla not part of UniTeam slate despite Duterte-Carpio endorsement

In an interview following Thursday's rally, Marcos' campaign manager Benhur Abalos said the matter of Padilla's inclusion in the slate still had to be discussed.

The UniTeam's official senatorial lineup so far includes the following:

1. Former presidential spokesman Harry Roque
2. House lawmaker Rodante Marcoleta
3. Lawyer Larry Gadon
4. Former Public Works Secretary Mark Villar
5. Former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista
6. Former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro
7. Antique Rep. Loren Legarda.
8. Sen. Migz Zubiri
9. Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian
10. Former DICT Secretary Gregorio Honasan
11. Former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada

During Thursday's campaign event, Marcos spoke about solving the country's woes through unity and did not take up the subject of Padilla's inclusion in the UniTeam's slate.

At the Laoag rally, he only referred to Padilla as a longtime friend who is not part of the UniTeam's senatorial bets.

“Alam niyo po, si Robin Padilla, kahit hindi po namin kasama ‘yan sa line up ng mga senador [ng UniTeam Alliance] ay matagal na po naming naging kaibigan ‘yan,” Marcos had said.

“At kaya naman eh kahit na hindi siya technically naisama (sa UniTeam Alliance senatoriables), eh pagka-nandiyan siya, kapag mayroon siyang panahon, eh sinasama namin,” he added.

Padilla is running under Partido Demokratiko Pilipino - Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), the political party of President Rodrigo Duterte which has no standard bearer in this year's elections.

• Duterte says daughter Sara's running-mate Marcos is 'spoiled, weak leader'

"Pag-uusapan maiigi," Abalos said of Padilla's official inclusion in the UniTeam's senatorial lineup.

"Siyempre, gustong-gusto niya (Duterte-Duterte) si Robin. At mabait naman si Robin Kaibigan si Robin. But for it to be really official, we have to discuss first."

Padilla is among a set of seven "friends" Duterte has been endorsing, but are not part of the UniTeam's senatorial slate.

Along with him are Sen. Joel Villanueva, Sorsogon Gov. Francis "Chiz" Escudero, former Vice President Jejomar Binay, former Sen. JV Ejercito, former presidential chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo, and former Philippine National Police chief Guillermo Eleazar.

Padilla stood on stage though together with the UniTeam's senatorial bets and other officials after Marcos delivered his speech in their Thursday's activity.

The actor is among a list of 12 senatorial aspirants who topped Pulse Asia's recent survey.

• READ: Raffy Tulfo tops anew Pulse Asia survey on 2022 Senate bets

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