Durano still mum on presidential bet; grateful for VP Leni backers’ support

DESPITE having no official bet yet for president, gubernatorial aspirant and former Tourism secretary Joseph Felix “Ace” Durano is thankful to supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo for including him in the #LeniAceJunjun Movement.Durano told Robredo’s supporters that he is still not endorsing any of the presidential aspirants as of the moment. He held a dialogue with Cebu’s sectoral and progressive leaders in a Mandaue City hotel on Thursday, March 3, 2022.Durano, who is challenging reelectionist Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, admitted that he had a chance to talk with Robredo during the vice president’s visit to Cebu last week, thanking Robredo for her supporters who are also supporting his bid for governor of the province.Emmanuel “Anol” Mongaya, the movement’s convenor and columnist of Superbalita Cebu, assured that they will give their all-out support to Durano even if the former tourism secretary would not endorse Robredo for president.Mongaya said the movement is currently composed of 30 groups and networks from Cebu Province; they are optimistic that their movement will further grow as the election nears.The movement is also hoping to mobilize different groups who are supporting Robredo’s bid for president to also help in the campaign of the Durano-Davide tandem, added Mongaya.Dynamic situationDurano said the political situation right now is very dynamic and different from the 2016 presidential election.During the 2016 election, the alliance between national and local candidates was very clear and straightforward, said Durano.“Siguro as candidates murag we have to also go with the flow. Dili man sad pwede nga mo kontra mi sa kung unsay dagan. Ang mga presidential candidates walay klaro kung kinsay ilaha,” Durano said.Durano, who is the regional chairman of the Partido Pilipino sa Pagbabago (PPP), said their party was formed for the supposed presidency of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.Now that Duterte-Carpio has decided to run for vice president, Durano said the PPP still has to decide on who among the presidential candidates they will support.Durano further said the PPP will have a national directorate meeting in Davao City on March 6 and selection of the party’s official presidential candidate is part of the agenda.“There is a chance that in that national directorate meeting, PPP will officially endorse a presidential candidate pero naa sad gihapoy chance nga dili magka sabot, wala lang gihapoy ma-endorse (but there’s chance that we could not agree and no one would be endorsed),” said Durano.