The UniTeam tandem of presidential bet Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos and his running mate, Sara Duterte-Carpio is supporting calls to hold a special session of Congress for the suspension of the excise tax on oil products.
“Yes, [I will appeal to my father to call for a special session],” Duterte-Carpio said in an interview yesterday.
“I will do that not as a daughter to a father, but as a Filipino citizen,” she added.
Under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN), excise tax now stands at P10 per liter for gasoline, P6 per liter for diesel, and P5 per liter for kerosene.
“Since this is a very big problem for us, Congress, both the Senate and the House of Representatives, should also help the Executive department in coming up with measures to help our kababayan,” Duterte-Carpio said.
Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said Thursday Duterte-Carpio would campaign harder in the next two months and highlight more her qualifications and platforms of government to sustain if not widen her lead in various poll surveys.
Romualdez, Lakas-CMD president, made the statement after Duterte-Carpio remained as the top choice for vice president of voters in a recent Tangere survey.
“This is a manifestation of the voters’ support for Mayor Duterte, their validation of her skills, competence and expertise in leading the country as next vice president,” said Romualdez, Leyte’s 1st district representative.
According to the survey, Romualdez said Duterte had not only maintained her position as the top vice presidential choice for Filipinos but has even widened her lead over rivals.
For his part, UniTeam senatorial candidate Herbert Bautista said Thursday Quezon City would go for the Marcos and Duterte-Carpio tandem.
Bautista’s statement was shared by Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Mike Defensor and District 2 Councilor Winnie Castelo, who are candidates for city mayor and vice mayor, respectively.
“In 2016, President Duterte won in QC while [then] Senator Bongbong Marcos led the vice presidential race,” Bautista told the members of the Batasan Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association during the meet-and-greet with Duterte-Carpio and other local aspirants at the Batasan tricycle terminal in Quezon City.
“We will do it again in this year’s national election. Quezon City ensures victory for President Bongbong Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte,” Bautista said.
Echoing Bautista’s appeal, Defensor, who is running for mayor under the Malayang Quezon City coalition, said he had no doubt that Quezon City would vote for BBM-Sara and their senatorial and local candidates.