For his victory, Duterte says he owes Imee Marcos, 3 other governors

MANILA, Philippines –  President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, December 29, said he was not beholden to anyone for his victory in the May 2016 presidential elections, except Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos and 3 other governors.

In an interview with CNN Philippines on Thursday, Duterte said that his “saving grace” in his come-from-behind victory is that he did not owe anyone – except “three or four persons,” he added. 

“Ang saving grace ko… is wala akong utang na loob sa kahit kanino except three or four persons,” Duterte told CNN Philipines. 

He first mentioned Imee Marcos, eldest child of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, whose remains were buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani on November 18, triggering protests. 

Of the Ilocos provinces, it was only Ilocos Norte that gave the most number of votes to Duterte in the last presidential race: 101,342 votes (33.6%), based on 98% transmission. The rest in the Ilocos Region – Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, La Union – went for Senator Grace Poe, who also ran for president. (READ: Despite huge margins, Duterte only sweeps 3 regions)

The President also said he owed his victory to 3 other governors: Bataan Governor Albert “Abet” Garcia, Bukidnon Governor Jose Zubiri Jr, and another governor whose name he did not mention.

Bataan, like Ilocos Norte, was one of less than 10 Luzon provinces that went for Duterte in the last polls.

The President earlier claimed that Imee Marcos donated money for his campaign. However, the governor is not listed in Duterte’s Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE). The governor also denied the claim, saying the President was probably just joking. 

In the CNN interview, Duterte reiterated that he “promised to bury Marcos” when he was campaigning. – Rappler.com