A Marcos and an Aquino filed their certificates of candidacy Sunday, their names sharing screen time on the Comelec live stream, except that they're not the heirs of two of the Philippines' most influential political families.
Through their representatives, a certain Tiburcio Marcos filed his candidacy for president and Luz "Lala Ganda" Aquino for senator on the third day of the filing of candidacies.
It's unclear how Tibucio and Luz are connected to the heirs of the two families, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., who's being urged to run for president and Kris Aquino, who has long toyed with the idea of following in the footsteps of his late mother and brother, both former presidents.
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On and off election season, the political fates of the Aquinos and the Marcoses are intertwined, resulting in a rivalry that spanned two generations and counting. Their supporters are on opposite ends of the spectrum.
For instance, in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013, former President Noynoy Aquino's interior chief Mar Roxas figured in a viral video supposedly telling Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez: "You are a Romualdez, the President is an Aquino."
Romualdez is the nephew of former first lady Imelda Marcos, the wife of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.
Roxas later said the video was edited as he clarified that he was talking about the Aquino government taking over the rebuilding of Leyte after the typhoon.
"You have to understand. You are a Romualdez, the President is an Aquino. He is being careful in just taking over because he doesn't want anything to be misconstrued," Roxas said in an unedited video footage of the conversation.
Fast forward to 2021, Bongbong Marcos is now being pushed by his supporters to run for president next year, while the Aquino family faces an uncertain political future after Noynoy's death last June.
Should Bongbong Run for president, he could face Vice President Leni Robredo, who is supported by Aquino's Liberal Party if she also decides to seek the highest position in the land.
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