Social media personality Dr. Willie Ong on Tuesday said he would pursue his campaign for the vice presidency even as some local leaders in Mindanao pushed for the tandem of his running mate Isko Moreno and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.
Ong, who rose to prominence for giving free medical advice on social media, said he would continue to support Moreno's presidential bid.
"Si Mayor Isko, siya pa rin ang president ko na sinasamahan ko. At sa tingin ko marami naman siyang magagawa sa Pilipinas. Ganun kasi ang attitude ko. Kung anong problema, basta tuloy-tuloy lang ako," he told ANC in an interview.
"Walang katotohanan na lilipat ako, magwi-withdraw ako. That's the farthest thing from my mind. Para sa tao ito," he added.
Ong skipped Moreno's sorties in Central Mindanao earlier this week on the advice of the Manila Mayor's campaign manager Lito Banayo, who saw it prudent to avoid embarrassing Ong with the sight of "Isko-Sara" tarps.
Although some quarters are supporting another vice presidential candidate for Moreno, Ong said he would continue vying for the vice presidency so he could help poor Filipinos with their medical needs.
"The poor people, they don't care kung sino i-mix and match mo. Ang gusto lang nila, 'Saan ang gamot ko, maooperahan mo ba ako?' So para sa kanila, balewala itong mga style ng politics. Wala akong problema. Basta ako honest, matino," he said.
"Obviously, ako makaka-solve ng pandemic, alam ko anong bakuna ang bibilhin, anong gamot bibilhin. Lives are at stake. Kaya I'm doing this, kung ano mang pagtitiis ko, I'm doing this for the people," he added.
Moreno picked Ong as his running mate to have a partner who has the health background that could help him address the COVID-19 situation in the country, Banayo earlier said.
Ong ranked fourth in the list of preferred vice presidential candidates in the January 2022 Pulse Asia survey with Duterte-Carpio still the top choice.
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