ILIGAN CITY, Philippines – A wing of the political party under whom presidential bet Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is running, declared its support for Manila Mayor and presidential candidate Isko Moreno on Wednesday, March 30.

Abubakar Mangelen, the leader of this wing of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), read out his group’s resolution formally endorsing Moreno during the Manila mayor’s rally here.

“Bakit? Dahil si Mayor Isko Moreno pa lang ang nagkilala sa Moro heritage at pati ‘yung mga problema ng mga Mindanaoan,” said Mangelen onstage, with other members of his group seated behind him. (Why? Because Mayor Isko Morenoo is the only one so far to recognize Moro heritage and the problems of Mindanaoans.)

He wore a green shirt that read PFP “Mangelen wing” on the back.

Mangelen, a retired police officer and Duterte-appointed National Commission for Muslim Filipinos commissioner, praised Moreno for building an Islamic cemetery in Manila, a big help to Muslims in the capital region.

“Siya lang yung mayor sa tagal ng panahon sa Manila, na nagpalit-palit ng mayor sa Manila, siya lang ‘yung mayor na nagbigay ng lupa para po sa sementeryo ng Muslim. Palakpakan natin si Mayor Isko Moreno!” said Mangelen to cheers from the crowd.

(He was the only mayor in the long history of Manila who gave land for a Muslim cemetery. Let’s give a hand to Mayor Isko Moreno!)

John Castriciones affirms Mangelen’s standing

Mangelen made headlines back in December for seeking the disqualification of Marcos Jr., partly on the grounds that his being named Partido Federal ng Pilipinas chairman was done without Mangelen’s consent.

Mangelen identified himself as “duly elected chairman” who was shocked by the move of other PFP officers to name Marcos their leader.

But Mangelen’s claim of having a standing in the party was affirmed in the same campaign rally by former agrarian reform secretary John Castriciones, who is the PFP’s founder. Castriciones is now running as senator under PDP-Laban but is a guest candidate in Moreno’s slate.

“Alam ninyo ang partido ni Bongbong Marcos na PFP, ang dapat chairman niyan ay si chairman general Mangelen… Kaso, inagaw nila,” said Castriciones, onstage.

(You know, the party of Bongbong Marcos called PFP, the chairman of that should be chairman general Mangelen… But they took it from him.)

Mysterious PFP split

Previously, Castriciones had been tight-lipped about the rift in PFP. Back in December, in an interview on The Chiefs, he admitted that the split was unpleasant. He also said then that the party was “being used by Bongbong Marcos.”

Prodded for more details about how the split happened, the PFP founder only said that a 2018 party resolution with the “concurrence of all the members” about him becoming president and interim chairman was not submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Members of PFP who support Marcos, dispute Mangelen’s claim that he didn’t know about the party choosing Marcos as standard-bearer, alleging that Mangelen even congratulated Marcos afterward. Bong Amin, PFP-BARMM chairman, made a vague claim that there is someone behind Mangelen’s moves, as quoted by ABS-CBN.

PFP was founded in 2018 by Castriciones and other members of the 2016 Duterte campaign volunteer group MRRD-NECC (Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte National Executive Coordinating Council). Back then, the group had even invited the President to be the party’s chairman. It is said to have 1.5 million members nationwide.

Then in October 2021, Marcos Jr. suddenly and unexpectedly took his oath as the party’s chairman. This was done only the day before he filed his candidacy for president, as the party’s standard-bearer. – Rappler.com