Senatorial candidate and Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos said it was divine will that she is running under the PDP-Laban political party, which was formed in 1982 to protest against the administration of her father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos.

Marcos, who shared the stage with fellow senatorial candidates, including party president Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, said it was providential that she achieved some form of closure with PDP-Laban.

“Ako ay nagpapasalamat higit sa lahat sa PDP. Hindi ko lubos na akalain na sa dinami dami ng partido, ang partido ng PDP-Laban pa ang nagkumbida sa akin para maging panauhing kandidato,” Marcos said, in her speech during the political party’s Miting de Avance in Pasig City on Saturday.

“It must be fate playing some form of tricks, but as they say, God works in mysterious ways. Thank you very much Sen. Koko Pimentel,” she added.

Marcos was joined Saturday by other PDP-Laban guest candidates, namely senators Cynthia Villar, JV Ejercito, and Sonny Angara, as well as Rafael Alunan, and Freddie Aguilar. Former Senator Pia Cayetano, who is also a guest candidate of the administration party, was not present during the PDP-Laban’s last political rally.

Marcos credited the “vision and foresight” of President Rodrigo Duterte, chairman of the PDP-Laban in choosing her to form part of the slate.

Marcos is running primarily under the senatorial slate of Hugpong ng Pagbabago party of Duterte’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, and the Nacionalista Party together with Sen. Villar and Cayetano.

“I would like to thank the President for his wisdom in bringing us together under the PDP-Laban banner, and for making that crucial push for our senatorial bids,” she said.

Duterte on Friday praised the late President Marcos, whom he said was the only Philippine leader that left “a tangible legacy,” including “magnificent infrastructures” like the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Philippine International Convention Center, and Manila’s light rail transit system.

“Was there anyone who did what Marcos had accomplished? (They are) all talk,” the President said.

Duterte said the former leader was always being faulted by his critics even if in truth, it was his deeds (accomplishments) that were “corrupted” by his detractors.

Gov Marcos also cited the significance of the miting de avance’s venue, recalling that the Philippine Sports Arena formerly known as ULTRA, was one of the former First Lady’s numerous projects.