FACT CHECK: Marcos claim that PDP was ‘never part’ of UniTeam needs context

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said recently that Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) was “never part” of the UniTeam alliance, which was formed to support his and Sara Duterte’s candidacies in the 2022 elections.

This needs context. PDP, when it was still known as PDP – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), and UniTeam both endorsed candidates from either side and campaigned together at election rallies.

STATEMENT

In a media interview on June 27 after the 2024 National Employment Summit at the Manila Hotel, Marcos was asked about the status of the UniTeam alliance following Vice President Sara Duterte’s resignation from his Cabinet. Marcos replied:

“You have to remember, the PDP was never part of the Unity Team. PDP was never part of UniTeam, kahit noong eleksyon. So, it does not change anything for the UniTeam; depende lang kung ano ‘yung posisyon ni Inday Sara pagdating ng eleksyon: sabay na sa administrasyon o siya ba ay sa oposisyon. That will be the only major determinant, but as the parties involved, pareho pa rin ang UniTeam, hindi pa nagbago.”

(You have to remember, the PDP was never part of the Unity Team. PDP was never part of UniTeam, even during the elections. So, it does not change anything for the UniTeam; it will just depend on where Inday Sara positions herself during the election: if she will be with the administration or with the opposition. That will be the only major determinant, but as the parties involved, UniTeam is still the same, nothing has changed yet.)

 

Source: RTV Malacañang official YouTube page, Media Interview at The Manila Hotel 6/27/2024, June 27, 2024, watch from 7:51 to 8:28

FACT

Although neither of the two (Koko Pimentel and Rodrigo Duterte) factions of PDP was part of the original four political parties that comprised UniTeam, candidates from the Duterte-allied wing were included in the coalition’s slate.

Two PDP senatoriables were on the alliance roster: actor Robinhood Padilla and former House deputy speaker Rodante Marcoleta, who later withdrew from the race.

Campaign materials from the two candidates, along with select statements from the party, bore the UniTeam logo.

The party endorsed the Marcos-Duterte tandem for president and vice president, respectively.

Sara Duterte belonged to the Hugpong ng Pagbabago, a regional party she organized in 2018 to support her father’s administration. She quit the party in November 2021 and joined Lakas-CMD, which endorsed her vice presidential bid under the UniTeam in the 2022 elections. She left Lakas in May 2021 and rejoined Hugpong later.

Weeks before the May 10 election, the party began to jointly campaign at UniTeam rallies. “In order to continue President [Rodrigo] Duterte’s programs, policies and advocacies, PDP-Laban is more determined and vigilant in campaigning for the BBM-Sara UniTeam as well as all PDP-Laban candidates nationwide,” said Alfonso Cusi, then the president of the Duterte faction.

A statement organized by UniTeam’s constituent and affiliated parties calling for honest, transparent and orderly elections bore PDP as a signatory.