Marcos fears being ‘cheated of victory’
Vice presidential aspirant Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday said being cheated out of victory has always been his fear in elections, especially now that he feels his campaign message resonated with many Filipinos.
In a press conference in Mandaluyong after casting his vote in Ilocos Norte, Marcos expressed confidence that he will win the vice presidential race, but noted that he has already been a victim of alleged cheating in the past.
“I’m very confident that we will win the elections. Of course, I’ve already been a victim of winning the elections and losing the counting,” Marcos told reporters at his campaign headquarters.
READ: Bongbong Marcos confident of victory
“[Our fear is] significant. That has always been the fear because especially after towards my campaign where it was clear that the support towards my candidacy was strong,” he added.
Describing the final stretch of the campaign period as the “beginning of tampering or mind-setting that raised suspicions,” the son and namesake of the late dictator said his team will “keep a close eye on what’s happening,” particularly reported cases of vote-buying.
“Syempre ‘di tayo makakatiyak. Syempre meron pa ring human element nandiyan parin, alam niyo naman sigurong lahat na sa mga nakaraang ilang araw eh bumabaha ang pera para sa vote buying sa buong Pilipinas kaya’t syempre magiging concern ‘yan kaya’t binabantayan nang mabuti ‘yan,” Marcos said.
(Of course, we can’t be assured… There is human element; you know that over the past few days, vote-buying in the Philippines has become rampant so that would be a concern which we are keeping a close eye on.)
“If we see there are traces of cheating, we will expose that and we will investigate them and we will use every possible means to fight that cheating,” he added.
READ: Marcos warns of admin’s ‘Plan B’ on poll cheating
Marcos said his team will conduct an internal quick count of votes at their headquarters.
The senator also urged the public to go out and exercise their right to vote before polling precincts close at 5 p.m. Monday.
“Pumunta kayo at bumoto kayo at iboto ang gusto nyong maging leader,” Marcos said.
(Go [to your precincts] and vote for the candidate whom you want to be your leader.)
“Kahit may kaunting glitch, be patient. Kaunting pasyensya lang pero pilitin n’yo na hangga’t maaari kayo ay makaboto dahil importante na marinig ang boses ng bawat mamamayang Pilipino dito sa halalang ito,” he added.
(There would be slight glitches, be patient. It would cause a little inconvenience but make sure that you could vote as much as possible because it is important that every Filipino’s voice is heard in the elections.)
Marcos has been leading the vice presidential race in preference surveys, in a statistical tie with administration bet Camarines Sur Rep. Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo. With reports from Mikaela Cecille S. Silverio and Theodore Jason Patrick K. Ortiz, Inquirer volunteers/RAM/rga
Vice presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. speaks as he shows the “quick-count” action center has been set up in his campaign headquarters at Edsa, Mandaluyong City, May 9, 2016, to monitor the conduct of elections and the election results. NINO JESUS ORBETA/INQUIRER
