Opponents try to head off Duterte in final rallies for presidency
President Aquino urged candidates to collaborate against Duterte
MANILA: Philippine election hopefuls campaigned for a final day on Saturday amid the drama of a late intervention by the country’s outgoing leader to try to block maverick mayor Rodrigo Duterte from winning the presidency.
President Benigno Aquino caused a stir on Friday with a call for candidates to collaborate against Duterte in a lastditch move to stop the “Trump of the East” from converting his runaway popularity into victory in Monday’s vote.
Philippine politics is no stranger to controversial characters and the firebrand Duterte is one of its most divisive, alarming opponents with his advocacy of extrajudicial killings as a deterrent against rampant crime and illegal drugs.
There were no signs on Saturday of Aquino’s idea taking hold. Some experts said it could backfire on his chosen successor, Manuel Roxas.
Roxas invited rival Grace Poe for talks aimed at derailing Duterte, who has a double-digit lead in the latest opinion polls, but met a resounding “no”. Vice-President Jejomar Binay’s team described Aquino’s call as “hollow”.
Political analyst Prospero de Vera said the government had seen the writing on the wall for its candidate and it needed to change tack.
“This is all part of the administration’s messaging to project that Manuel Roxas has the momentum,” he said. “They need these dramatics to prevent allies in the provinces from jumping ship,” de Vera said.
The five candidates have major rallies planned later on Saturday, the final day allowed for campaigning. Duterte was a lear leader in final opinion polling with a lead of 11 points over Poe, with Roxas close behind in third.
Duterte, 71, is the alternative candidate who has lit up the race with his incendiary rhetoric and image as a loose cannon.
Experts say his Poe’s popularity, disenchantment administration.
That sentiment has perplexed investors and some Western governments given the robust performance of the Philippine economy under Aquino. recent surge, and represents public with Aquino’s