Sara Duterte backs Isko Moreno’s comeback bid in Manila (2025)

(1st UPDATE) Two Duterte senatorial candidates join the Vice President at Isko Moreno's Tondo rally

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte has endorsed former Manila Mayor Isko Moreno in his bid to reclaim the city’s top post.

At Moreno’s campaign rally in Tondo on Thursday night, April 24, the Vice President referred to the mayoral candidate as “pinakamamahal na Mayor ng siyudad ng Maynila (the beloved mayor of the city of Manila), Isko Moreno, Isko Moreno Domagoso.”

Moreno is running against former ally, Mayor Honey Lacuna and Tutok to Win Representative Sam Verzosa.

Duterte thanked Moreno for welcoming senatorial candidates from the Duterte slate to his campaign sorties — reelectionist Senator Imee Marcos and Jimmy Bondoc.

Duterte spent much of her hour-long speech taking jabs at her political rivals and condemning the arrest of her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court.

She also mocked, ala-Duterte, reelectionist Manila 2nd District Representative Rolando Valeriano and and endorsed Valeriano’s rival, former three-term congressman Carlo Lopez.

Valeriano had delivered a privilege speech on September 3, 2024, decrying the Vice President’s unwillingness to explain how she spent public funds and questioned her allegiances. His speech served as the basis of the House committee ongood government’s probe into Duterte’s alleged misuse of public funds.Valeriano also voted in favor of Sara’s impeachment.

“Yung congressman ninyo, ‘yan yung mukha ng distrito ninyo. ‘Yan yung pambato ninyo doon sa House of Representatives. Unang-una sa sobrang laki ng leeg niya naiipit na ‘yung boses niya,” she said.

(Your congressman, that’s the face of your district. He’s your champion in the House of Representatives. First of all, his neck is so big that it’s choking his own voice.)

Sara also took a swipe at Marcos for failing to deliver on his P20-per-kilo rice campaign promise.

In a statement released on Friday, April 25, Valeriano questioned Moreno’s alliance with Duterte, branding the former Manila mayor as an ally of the “tokhang regime” and “Team Evil.”

Valeriano said that the stakes are high for Moreno to regain power in Manila in relation to his presidential ambition.

“Alam ni Isko na kapag natalo siya sa Maynila sa 2025, lalong malulusaw ang ambisyon niyang maging Presidente sa 2028. Kaya ganyan na lang kadesperado si Isko na makabalik sa City Hall ng Maynila, sa Capital ng Pilipinas. Kaya lahat ng klase ng pang-uuto at pang-gagago sa botante gagawin niya,” said Valeriano, who is running under Lacuna’s slate.

(Isko knows that if he loses in Manila in 2025, his dream of becoming president in 2028 will dissipate even more. That’s why he’s so desperate to return to Manila City Hall, the capital of the Philippines. He’s willing to do all sorts of sweet-talking and deception just to win over voters.)

Duterte and Moreno’s ties

Former president Duterte is the common thread between Moreno and the Vice President.

Moreno had served the Duterte administration as Department of Social Welfare and Development undersecretary, but resigned in October 2018 to run for Manila mayor.

In 2022, Moreno ran for president while Sara was the vice presidential candidate of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. under the Uniteam ticket. Some groups pushed for a Moreno–Duterte tandem.

Former Duterte official Mocha Uson is running for Manila’s 3rd District councilor under Moreno’s team.

The Vice President is expected to attend another Moreno-led caucus in Quiapo — the stronghold of another Duterte critic, Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua — on Friday, April 25. – Rappler.com