Photo Courtesy of Ka Leody De Guzman Facebook Page
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential candidate labor leader Ka Leody de Guzman on Monday said he will participate in the debate to be hosted by SMNI, the broadcasting arm of Kingdom of Jesus Christ church led by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
De Guzman is expected to face presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after four other candidates have declined to join.
“Tutuloy ako sa SMNI debates kahit tila dumadayo ako sa home court ni Marcos Jr.,” he said in a statement.
(I will push through with the SMNI debates even though it seems that I am encroaching in the home court of Marcos Jr.)
“Bilang kandidato, obligasyon kong ilahad ang aking plataporma sa lahat ng botante (kasama ang mga nanlalait sa pagtakbo ng isang labor leader sa pagkapangulo). Kailangan nilang marinig ang lahat ng panig para sa kanilang mas maayos na pagpapasya sa Mayo,” he added.
(As a candidate, it is my obligation to present my platforms to all voters, including those who are insulting the presidential bid of a labor leader. The people should be able to listen to all sides so that they can decide more appropriately in the coming May 2022 elections.)
Presidential candidates Vice President Leni Robredo, Senator Manny Pacquiao, Senator Panfilo Lacson, and Manila mayor Isko Moreno have declined to join the debate set on Tuesday, Feb. 15.
Pacquiao declined to join, saying he cannot “in good conscience” attend the debate considering that Quiboloy is wanted for sex trafficking charges in the US.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Jan. 31 published a wanted poster seeking information leading to his arrest for “conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; conspiracy; bulk cash smuggling.”
READ: Apollo Quiboloy on FBI’s ‘most wanted’ list
The FBI released the wanted list nearly three months after Quiboloy and his senior aides were indicted by a US federal grand jury in California for allegedly forcing girls and young women to have sex with him to save them from “eternal damnation.”
READ: No extradition request yet from US gov’t for Quiboloy, says DOJ
For his part, Lacson reasoned that Quiboloy, the owner of SMNI, has openly endorsed the candidacy of Marcos Jr.
Robredo and Moreno, meanwhile, had prior commitments and will not be able to attend the debate due to their tight schedule.
Marcos Jr., who was confirmed to attend the SMNI debate, enjoys the support of Quiboloy in the 2022 elections.
He, however, rejected the invitation of CNN Philippines for a debate where other presidential candidates are expected to attend.