Outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte urged Filipinos Monday night to rally behind his elected successor Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr., saying democracy requires citizens to support elected leaders.
Duterte, who refused to endorse any presidential candidate during the election, said he hopes Filipinos would stop politicking and accept the outcome of the May 9 vote.
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"And I hope that everybody would come to terms with the reality that we have a new government and I urge my, kayo Filipinos, to rally behind and support the new leaders. We want the next administration successful," Duterte said in a late-night address.
"President-elect Marcos would need the cooperation and help of everybody. We must give it to him. That’s democracy. That is how we operate. And ‘pag nagsalita na ‘yung taong-bayan kung sino ‘yung mga lider na gusto nila, sunod tayo," he said.
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Marcos Jr. was proclaimed president-elect with a record 31 million votes to become the first majority leader of the country since the 1986 People Power Revolution that restored democracy and ousted his father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
His running mate Sara Duterte, the eldest daughter of the outgoing President, will assume the vice presidency after getting 31.5 million votes--the highest among all national candidates during the election.
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With a new administration coming in, the elder Duterte said Filipinos "must all be united in confronting the issues ahead of us."
"We have no room for politicking or actions that are divisive to the country. Nagsalita na ang tao, may mga lider tayo," he said.
"Iwasan ninyo ‘yung pulitika at lahat ‘yung na mga kaibigan ko, ang nagsuporta sa akin, we rally behind the elected leaders of our country. Ganoon talaga ang pamamaraan sa ating pang-gobyerno," he added.
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