MANILA—Walden Bello on Saturday said he was “unfazed” by the addition of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio in the vice-presidential race in the 2022 elections.

Earlier in the day, Duterte-Carpio replaced Lakas-CMD “placeholder” bet Lyle Uy, filing papers through her authorized representative, former Presidential Commission on Good Government acting chair Reynold Munsayac.

• Sara Duterte to run for VP under Lakas-CMD

In a statement, Bello said the move was “unoriginal,” a “stunt” that her father, the president, pulled in 2015.

• Duterte decides to run for president

Vice presidential aspirant @WaldenBello says he is unfazed by the intent of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to join the race in the 2022 elections. #Halalan2022 | @ABSCBNNews

— Josiah Antonio (@josiahvantonio) November 13, 2021

“Like her father, the daughter now expects us to believe that she has been moved by the so-called clarion call from supporters. How unoriginal,” Bello said in a statement.


“And when Sara does get into office, we can only expect more of the same failed pandemic response, extrajudicial killings, and barrage of anti-worker and anti-people policies. That’s why we’re running—to prevent exactly that.”

Bello also slammed the camp of presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for endorsing Duterte-Carpio.

• Marcos camp endorses Sara Duterte as VP

“Bongbong is a convicted tax evader. If there is even an ounce of shame left in their family, he shouldn't be running at all. Even his own father prohibits him so,” said Bello, currently an adjunct professor of sociology at the State University of New York at Binghamton, according to Laban Ng Masa.

Bello had substituted for Raquel Castillo, who filed her certificate of candidacy for vice president under Partido Lakas ng Masa.

• Activist Walden Bello is new VP running mate of Ka Leody

The former lawmaker is among 29 vice presidential aspirants next year, including Dr. Willie Ong, Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza, and senators Kiko Pangilinan, Tito Sotto, and Bong Go.

The list will be trimmed in the coming months to remove those deemed nuisance candidates.

The official campaign period for national position candidates for May 9, 2022, elections will start only on February 8, 2022.

Meanwhile, labor leader and presidential candidate Leody De Guzman said that he is trusting the Filipino people to remain vigilant against the reign of the Marcos and Duterte families.

"Umiigting ang tunggalian ng mga elitistang trapo para sa kapangyarihan. Maglaban-laban man o magsanib, tanging sariling interes ang inaalala ng mga ’yan, hindi ang kapakanan ng masa, habang inaaliw lang tayo sa kanilang telenobela," De Guzman said in series of tweets.

(The struggle of the elitist traditional politicians for power is intensifying. Whether they fight or merge, they only care about their own interests, not the welfare of the masses, while they entertain us with their own brand of soap opera.)

"Nagtitiwala ako na ang sagot ng masa sa kalokohang ito ay 'NEVER AGAIN TO MARCOS AND DUTERTE'. Tuloy ang laban para sa demokrasya at gobyerno ng masa. Biguin ang mga angkan ng mandarambong at mamamatay-tao. Tuloy ang laban!"

(I am confident that the response of the masses to this nonsense is “NEVER AGAIN TO MARCOS AND DUTERTE”. The fight for democracy and government for the people continues. Defeat the clans of the plunderer and murderer. The battle continues!)

—with reports from Jauhn Etienne Villaruel, ABS-CBN News

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