Former President Fidel V. Ramos and former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
MANILA — The party founded by former President Fidel V. Ramos, who co-led the 1986 People Power Revolution that ousted the late President Ferdinand Marcos from power, has adopted the dictator's son and namesake's bid to return to Malacañang as president in 2022.
Ramos founded Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats in his 1992 presidential campaign to serve as his vehicle for the presidency after he lost the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino nomination to then-Speaker Ramon Mitra.
Ramos narrowly won the 1992 elections with then-outgoing President Corazon Aquino’s endorsement.
Thirty years later, the party now titularly led by the second President of the Philippines it produced, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, adopted Partido Federal ng Pilipinas' Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. as its presidential candidate.
The current Lakas-CMD is different from the one Ramos founded. Lakas-CMD is now chaired by Marcos Jr.’s running mate, vice presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. Its party president is Bongbong's own cousin, House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez.
Ramos, at 93 years old, is the country’s oldest living former President.
Duterte-Carpio relayed Marcos Jr.’s gratitude during the Lakas-CMD meeting on Wednesday.
"Bongbong Marcos extends his profound gratitude for his adoption as presidential candidate of Lakas-CMD. I just informed him and send him screencaps of our meeting this afternoon and then he said, to let you know the (executive committee) and the entire Lakas-CMD party that he's willing to work with Lakas-CMD and that he is profoundly grateful for this opportunity given to him by Lakas-CMD," she said.
Marcos Jr.’s adoption by Lakas-CMD further cements the alliance between him and Duterte-Carpio as running mates for Halalan 2022. The tandem now looks to expand its base by inviting more allies.
“Hopefully we will be able to invite more parties in the coming days, to sign up in the Uniteam alliance for the 2022 elections. I know that you have many friends outside of Lakas-CMD and I hope that you will take a timeout to talk to them and invite them to join the Lakas-CMD-PFP Uniteam Alliance for the May 2022 elections," the eldest daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte said.
Aside from adopting Marcos Jr. through a resolution, the party also officially confirmed Duterte-Carpio as its vice presidential candidate in the 2022 elections and authorized Romualdez to enter into alliance agreements with other political parties.
The three resolutions were signed by Duterte-Carpio, Lakas-CMD co-chairperson Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., Romualdez, and other executive committee members.
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Lakas-CMD, Bongbong Marcos, Sara Duterte, 2022 elections, Halalan 2022, Fidel Ramos