Sara Duterte Warms Up to Isko Moreno: A Surprise Boost in Manila Race
SARA DUTERTE – Vice President Sara Duterte showed her support for former Manila Mayor Isko Moreno during a campaign rally.
In a surprising political move, Vice President Sara Duterte made an appearance at the campaign sortie of former Manila mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso on Thursday, signaling implicit support for his comeback bid in the 2025 midterm elections.
Speaking before a crowd in Tondo, Manila, Duterte stopped short of a formal endorsement but referred to Moreno warmly as “our beloved mayor of the city of Manila.” She expressed gratitude to Domagoso for welcoming her and her allies to campaign for senatorial candidates under her wing, including Senator Imee Marcos and former government official Jimmy Bondoc.
“I thank our beloved mayor of Manila, Isko Moreno Domagoso, for lending the stage and the microphone to the Duterte senatorial candidates,” Duterte said in Filipino during the proclamation rally of District 2 candidates under Yorme’s Choice party.
Before his term as Manila mayor from 2019 to 2022, Moreno served in Duterte’s administration, notably as North Luzon Railways Corporation CEO and as an undersecretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Moreno is seeking to reclaim his post in a crowded field that includes reelectionist Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, Tutok to Win party-list Rep. Sam Verzosa, and several others.
According to the report, during the rally, Duterte also took aim at Manila lawmakers involved in efforts to impeach her. She criticized District 2 Rep. Rolando Valeriano and District 3 Rep. Joel Chua, accusing them of incompetence and ignorance regarding government procedures.
“Where can you find a lawyer who does not know who appoints the DepEd undersecretary? Well, here in Manila, you can find Joel Chua,” she said, drawing laughs from the audience.
Duterte further urged voters to be discerning in the upcoming elections, criticizing the Marcos administration’s pilot rollout of P20-per-kilo rice in the Visayas as politically motivated.
In a lighter moment, Duterte removed the Office of the Vice President seal from the podium, joking it could soon be replaced with that of the Office of the President — a move that earned cheers from the crowd.
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