MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos on Wednesday admitted that he rejected Vice President Jejomar Binay's offer to be his running mate in 2016.
"Simple lang. The political divide was a little too wide for us to be able to reach in every level," Marcos said in a televised press conference.
Marcos on Monday said that he will be seeking the vice presidency, stressing that he is leaving his political fortune to the Filipino people.
The senator said that he is open to running with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte as a team in the 2016 elections.
Duterte is yet to reconsider his earlier position that he will not run as president next year with the last days of the deadline for filing of candidacies approaching.
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, Marcos' party-mate from the Nacionalista Party (NP), is also wooing Duterte to run with him in the upcoming elections.
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who is also a member of the LP, will similarly seek the vice presidency and has expressed his support to Sen. Grace Poe who will run as an independent presidential candidate.
Independent candidate Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero and Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo of the Liberal Party will also seek the vice presidency. Sen. Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan of the United Nationalist Alliance, meanwhile, is being wooed to run alongside Binay.