Moreno camp distances from 'Isko-Sara,' says Willie Ong his only VP bet

MANILA, Philippines — The camp of Manila City Mayor and presidential candidate Isko Moreno asserted Monday that Doc Willie Ong is the only running mate and vice-presidential candidate of Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer Isko Moreno Domagoso. 

This comes after Ong was nowhere to be found from February 20 to 21, the days Moreno spent in the vote-rich Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao for campaign sorties.

Speaking in an interview aired over ANC Monday morning, political strategist Lito Banayo said that it was his call not to have Willie Ong come with them in their provincial sorties, especially in Maguindanao where the Mangudadatus have openly declared their preference for an Isko Moreno-Sara Duterte tandem. 

"That was my call. That was my decision. Because whenever you make sorties or campaign trips, you send an advance team, normally, four or 5 days beforehand, even a week beforehand. They called me up and they said, 'boss, it's full streamers here, full of Isko-Sara,' tarpaulins, puro Isko-Sara," Banayo told ANC. 

"So I called up Doc Willie, and I said, Doc, maybe it's better for you not to join us in Mindanao because I don't want to put you in an embarrassing situation where the tarpaulins there are of an Isko-Sara [tandem]," Banayo said. 

At those events, supporters calling themselves the “Team ISSA Movement” displayed banners pushing for the tandem in the venue, pushing for Isko Moreno to pair up with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, who is running alongside Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of the late ousted dictator.

Banayo maintained that while Moreno was being paired with another vice presidential candidate, the mayor did not say anything about supporting Mayor Sara Duterte for vice president. 

"He (Moreno) did not say he was supporting Sara at all. He didn't say that at all. Pero doon kasi sa Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat, wala rin naman silang sinabi, 'yung mga speaker, 'yung major power blocs, wala din naman silang sinabi na Isko-Sara," Banayo said. 

Moreno on Monday maintained that he is still campaigning for Ong, his party's vice presidential candidate, even if several local politicians have endorsed him with a different candidate. 

— Franco Luna