Nelson Morales

Harapan 2025: Senatorial bet Jimmy Bondoc stands by alliance with Duterte

Article (news)

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — PDP Laban senatorial candidate and singer-turned-lawyer Jimmy Bondoc upheld his friendship and alliance with former President Rodrigo Duterte. Bondoc served in the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation under Duterte.Bondoc said he admires what Duterte stands for.&quot;Sa akin kasi dahil divisive ang paghanga sa isang tao, tumitingin ako sa principles. And actually, I call it the best of the best of the Duterte principles. Kasi kung meron man mga nagtatalo tungkol sa kanyang pagkatao, yung mga pinaglaban niya, yung the best of the best, tama naman, anti-corruption, na talagang pumapatay sa atin. Drugs, which walang nakakalaman dati kung gaano ka pervasive at kung papaano niya talagang sinisira yung bayan natin,” he sai.“So, ang gusto ko sa Pangulo, yung pagka-real talk niya. Na sinasabi niya sa bayan, ito ang totoong problema. May makalaban man siyang malalaking tao o wala, sinasabi niya ang totoo,” Bondoc added.Bondoc embraced his closeness with the former president and left it to voters on how they will appreciate it when they cast their votes.&quot;Yung iba, ang burden nila, yung pangalan nila. Minana nila yung pangalan. Yung iba, ang burden nila, wala silang minanan pangalan. Yung iba, ang burden nila, katulad ko, kaibigan ko si Rodrigo Duterte. Lahat po tayo, we have either an advantage or a cross to bear. So, we must grow where we are planted. At dito po ako nakatanim, I accept all the challenges and the advantages that being a friend of the former president brings. Pero para sa akin, wala naman, sa matalinong botante, hindi yun ang iisipin nila. Ang iisipin po nila, ako. At kung talagang may maitutulong ako sa Senado,” he said.&quot;Ang akin, gusto ko magbigay ng isang pantay na effort na magpakilala ng totoo. Ayaw ko nga yung word na nanliligaw, hindi rin ako nanliligaw. Ako po ay nagpapakilala. At kung hindi nyo ako iboboto, pagdasal nyo ako. Kasi malay nyo, ang outcome naman ng elections talagang is always by the hand of God. Yun lang naman ang totoo kong paniniwala eh. So we might as well say the truth, stand for the truth, at tingnan natin kung mananaig ang katotohanan,” Bondoc added.Bondoc said he is running for the Senate to respond to a calling.&quot;Hindi ako laos dahil hindi naman ako sumikat. Yan ang una. Pangalawa, alam niyo, on a serious note, no? Hindi ko kailangan ipaliwanag kasi sa tao ang calling. Ang calling po, tawag eh, mahirap ipaliwanag. Para sa akin, this is a calling, it is something that I want to do with my life and to be of service to God and to my nation. So, depende na lang sa tao yan kung maniniwala po sila sa akin or hindi. But ako, I do believe it is a true calling,” he said.“Alam nyo, yung iba kasi kala nila yung calling parang bigla nalang may kalapating dadapo sa ulo mo. But ako, it was a series of events for a decade. Yung unti-unting pagpasok sa politika, sa serbisyo, unti-unting karunungan, at pag-shift ng career, at nagbabago yung mga minamahal mo at adikain sa buhay. So, yung calling na yun is gradual until you see kung saan ka tinatangay ng Panginoon,” he added.Bondoc defended his decision to run for the Senate in his first foray into electoral politics.&quot;Alam mo, una sa lahat, hindi ako naniniwala na may hierarchy sa public positions. Unique yan, eh. May mga tao na mananalo bilang senador, pero hindi mananalo sa party list. Iba kasi yung mga laban dyan, eh. So, syempre, inaral din namin, una, sino ba naman ang gustong matalo?&quot;&quot;So, inaral namin kung saan yung pinaka may chance na makapagserbisyo tayo. So sa pag-aaral namin, it is here. Pangalawa, gusto ko talaga ang policymaking mula kabataan pa. I like policymaking and making rules work para maging equitable sa mga tao,” Bondoc said.<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8Nxhp5y27A8?&amp;ab_channel=ABS-CBNNews&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>

PDP Laban senatorial candidate and singer-turned-lawyer Jimmy Bondoc upheld his friendship and alliance with former President Rodrigo Duterte.

PDP Laban senatorial candidate and singer-turned-lawyer Jimmy Bondoc upheld his friendship and alliance with former President Rodrigo Duterte.