GUIMBAL, Iloilo – “Bongbong Marcos will never sleep with the enemies of the state.”

Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte gave this glowing description of presidential hopeful Marcos during their “miting de avance” here, the first of three scheduled this week by the UniTeam alliance to close the 90-day campaign period.

“Sa kampanyang ito hindi si Bongbong Marcos, hindi nakipag-usap sa mga grupo na gusto[ng] ipabagsak ang gobyerno. Sa kampanyang ito hindi siya nakipagkasundo sa mga tao o mga grupo na sumusuporta sa mga grupo na gusto[ng] ipabagsak ang gobyerno,” Duterte said with much conviction.

“Yan si Bongbong Marcos. Hindi niya ‘yan ginawa para lang manalo siya. ‘Yan si Bongbong Marcos, iboto niyo,” Duterte told the colossal congregation of supporters that attended the event. The roar of the crowd signified their approval.

But what was the context of Duterte’s take on Marcos’s character? In her speech at the rally, Duterte recalled a dark day in Davao City–April 28, 2017–when the enemies of state attacked a company.

She said she was already the Davao mayor when the group attacked the company and set it ablaze. Before leaving, the enemies of state planted a bomb.

“Bago sila tumakas, nag-iwan sila ng bomba. Pagsabog nung bomba, namatay ang isang lalaki,” Duterte lamented.

Duterte would later call the victim Larry and describe how his death affected her psyche.

She recalled seeing how nurses tried to save the severely injured Larry. The least she could do was to reach out to Larry’s wife so she could bring her to the hospital.

Duterte said the blast took place on the day of Larry and his wife’s anniversary.

“Sabi ko nasaan ang cellphone ni Larry? Binigay nila sa akin ang cellphone niya, kailangan kong tumawag sa kanyang asawa o relative. Hindi ko alam kung sino, binasa ko ang cellphone niya, hinahanap ko doon kung sino ang puwedeng tawagan. Nakita ko doon pinaka-unang mensahe sa mga sent messages niya, nakalagay doon “I love you, happy anniversary” ng araw na ‘yon. Duda ko asawa niya ‘yon, tinawagan ko sabi ko ikaw ba ang asawa ni Larry, sabi niya oo ako, sabi ko kailangan mong maghanda dahil ipapasundo ka namin. Kailangan mong pumunta dito sa hospital dahil tinamaan siya ng bomba,” Duterte narrated.

“Three days after [the blast] namatay si Larry. As a mayor, pag ikaw namamatayan na ganyan, hindi mo ‘yan makakalimutan.”

“Every time na tumitingin ako sa mga anak ko, nakikita ko ang anak ni Larry, mga bata na nawalan ng tatay dahil sa mga grupo, sa mga tao na gustong ipabagsak ang gobyerno,” Duterte, Lakas-CMD and regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) chairperson, said.