Atty. Victor Rodriguez, chief of staff and spokesperson of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Screengrab from PTV
MANILA, Philippines — A group of people “full of hate” is behind the filing of disqualification cases against presidential aspirant Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his camp claimed on Thursday.
Marcos’ chief-of-staff and spokesperson Vic Rodriguez issued the remark after the fifth petition was filed before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against the son and namesake of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
Like in the previous cases, the latest disqualification case asserts that the former senator is barred from seeking public office as a result of his 1995 conviction for failure to file income tax returns.
“Hinggil sa mga kasong isinampa at isasampa pa laban kay BBM ay naniniwala kami na lahat nang ito ay bahagi ng patuloy na pang-aapi kay presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos ng iisang grupo ng mga taong likas na negatibo ang pananaw sa buhay, puno ng poot ang puso at ayaw na umusad ang bansa tungo sa magandang bukas,” Rodriguez said in a statement.
(About the cases filed and are yet to be filed against Marcos, we believe that this is all part of the efforts to persecute Marcos by one group who have a naturally negative outlook in life, who have a heart full of hatred, and does not want the country to progress to a better tomorrow.)
Despite all this, Rodriguez said Marcos, alongside his running mate Davao City mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, will continue on their intent to “unite the country in the midst of a pandemic and help people recover.”
“Habang pilit na hinahadlangan ng mga grupong may mapanirang uri ng pulitika ang kandidatura ni Bongbong Marcos ay patuloy lang ang BBM-Sara Uniteam sa kanilang layunin na pagbuklurin ang bansa sa gitna ng pandemya at ibangon ang ating mga Kababayan sa ganap na kahirapan at patuloy na maghahatid ng pag-asa para sa lahat,” he said.
(While they continue to try to smear the candidacy of Marcos, the BBM-Sara Uniteam will continue on in their intent to unite the country amid the pandemic and help them recover from poverty, and continue to deliver hope to all.)
The latest petition to void Marcos’ candidacy was filed by Akbayan First Nominee Perci Cendaña, former Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Etta Rosales, lawyer Byron Bocar of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reforms, Akbayan Youth Chairperson Dr. RJ Naguit, Tition Lao-Manalo and Doris Nuval of Claimants 1081, Jean Enriquez of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, and Nice Coronacion of the Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa.
Among the petitions filed, two petitions sought to cancel his certificate of candidacy, one sought his declaration as a nuisance candidate and another petition also wanted him disqualified from the 2022 elections.