MANILA, Philippines – Former Manila mayor Isko Moreno threw his support behind Manny Pacquiao and Francis Tolentino in their bid to return to the Senate.
In Baseco, Manila, on Saturday evening, April 26, Moreno, who is also running for Manila mayor, shared the stage with Tolentino and Pacquiao.
Moreno and Pacquiao were once rivals in the 2022 presidential race, where both fell short. Pacquiao placed third with 3.6 million votes, while Moreno finished fourth with 1.9 million votes.
In the latest Social Weather Stations survey for April, Pacquiao is barely hanging on to the “Magic 12,” ranking 12th, while Tolentino trails at 21st.
Both Pacquiao and Tolentino are running under the Marcos administration’s Senate slate.
Just a day earlier, Moreno also hosted Vice President Sara Duterte, who was campaigning for the “Duterte 10,” the Senate lineup backed by the Duterte-led PDP-Laban.
Moreno’s stage has been open to other Duterte 10 candidates as well, including singer-lawyer Jimmy Bondoc and congressman Rodante Marcoleta.
Moreno also previously backed Senator Imee Marcos. Athough, she has since distanced herself from the administration slate, saying she can no longer stand on the same platform as some of its candidates.
Despite her split from the slate, Marcos found an ally in the Vice President, who backed her Senate bid.
But during Moreno’s campaign sortie in Manila on Friday, April 25, Duterte — while naming her top picks for the Senate — notably left out both Imee and Camille Villar, another candidate she had previously endorsed. – Rappler.com