in News & Culture, Politics, Social Media

Netizens speculate whether Isko Domagoso is a pawn of the presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Long-criticized as a political butterfly, the actor-turned-politician introduced himself as the real opposition leader. Domagoso has switched political allegiances in the past three national elections. 

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Netizens are noting hints that suggest the Manila City Mayor and the presidential candidate maybe just part of an elaborate design to ensure the return of the Marcoses to power.

image: Audie Gemora

Presidential contender Isko Domagoso seems to have opened a can of worms, following his call for Vice President Leni Robredo to withdraw her presidential bid in the 2022 national polls. 

The Manila Mayor has long kept certain individuals, including senatorial Sonny Trillanes, who explained on twitter why he opposed the unification talks that several presidentiables including VP Robredo pushed last year.

“Alam nyo na kung bakit pinipigilan ko ang unifaction talks ni VP leni sa mga ‘yan before the filing. Hindi tayo parehas ng paniniwala sa mga ‘yan. Tuloy ang laban para sa #TeamLeniKiko #SwitchToLeni (You now know why I opposed VP Leni’s unification talks with these people. Our beliefs are not aligned with their intentions. Let’s continue the fight with Leni-Kiko),” Trillanes shared in a tweet, after presidentiables, Isko Domagoso, Bert Gonzales, and Ping Lacson, held a joint press conference at the Manila Peninsula Hotel on Easter Sunday, April 17.

Long-criticized as a political butterfly, the actor-turned-politician introduced himself as the real opposition leader. Domagoso has switched political allegiances in the past three national elections. 

It is not surprising at all, that a lot, suspect his real intention in pursuing the highest seat in the government. Since his campaign began, he has tried to anchor his campaign as an alternative for traditional politicians, especially the Marcoses and the Aquinos, as he often mentioned.

Twitter user, Salt and Reality, noted how often Domagoso left his running mates, to pursue higher power.

“Nalilito daw si Isko kung Dilaw o Pinklawan tayo. E sya nga every 3 years nag iiba ng kulay. Political PokPok! #IskoTrapo #IskoInggetero (Isko wonders whether we are Yellow or Pink fanatics. That’s coming from someone who changes color every three years),” he noted.

Many netizens have also noted Domagoso being a poker face who has no guts to say his accusations in person.

That seems to be what was on Jeff’s mind when he tweeted, “Isko Moreno is that type of person who would smile at your face but stab you in the back as soon as you turn around.”

Most of Domagoso’s support groups, who previously pushed for his presidential bid solely for his position against the Marcoses, have shifted their support for Robredo. It is interesting to note that because of some of his anti-Marcos stances, most of the mayor’s supporters and soft voters are most likely not going to see the former dictator’s son as an alternative. 

They are most likely to go to another candidate with a stronger and vocal anti-Marcos sentiments: Robredo. 

Is Domagoso merely a pawn to chip Robredo’s swelling network of support? Netizens are wondering.

Those speculations have further intensified by resurfacing photos and stories which suggested the Manila Mayor’s link with the son of the former dictator. 

After his call for Robredo to withdraw, photographs of him with Bongbong in 2021 popped up recently, and went viral again. 

Daniel Ezekiel shared the photo in a tweet: “ISKO AND FRIENDS AND BBM, THE PRESIDENCY WILL NEVER BE YOURS. #WithdrawLeni will not happen, like ever! LENI WILL WIN AND CRUSH THE PATRIARCHY!”  

A post on the Now You Know on facebook provided some context behind the photo, although several speculations have risen online that point to the Domagoso-Marcos Jr link. 

Domagoso, as most expected, conveniently blamed the resurfacing of the photo which his chief of staff deleted, a year ago. 

Is Domagoso merely a distraction to keep VP Robredo’s support network from growing? Is his presence in what could be said as a two-way battle between Robredo and Marcos Jr just a way to attract the former’s soft voters are in any way would not go for the Marcoses? Is this the reason why former pro-Isko groups like IM Pilipinas and United Imams of the Philippines are now backing the vice-president’s presidential bid after Domagoso shifted his focus to Robredo?

That said, Domagoso’s increasingly apparent intent and efforts to fragment Robredo’s support system seem to be failing, as his recent tirades against the vice president only ricocheted, and cost him followers, who have now shifted to the lone female presidential candidate’s campaign.

#Halalan2022BBMbongbong marcosisko MorenoLeni Robredo

Written by JE C.C.

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