Atty. Victor Rodriguez, chief of staff and spokesperson of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Screengrab from PTV
MANILA, Philippines — The grand rally of the tandem of presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and vice presidential candidate Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio in Antique was not cancelled but only rescheduled to another date “in the spirit of peace and unity.”
Atty. Vic Rodriguez, the spokesperson of Marcos Jr., said this Wednesday after the scheduled rally of the tandem was called off as residents protested on social media.
“The caravan-cum-rally which was set for February 24, 2022 by the BBM-Sara UniTeam in Binirayan Sports Complex, San Jose De Buenavista in the province of Antique was not cancelled. It was reset to another date,” Rodriguez said in a statement.
“We decided to adjust our schedule to a later date in the spirit of peace and unity,” he added.
The Marcos-Duterte tandem was supposed to hold a rally on Feb. 24 at Evelio B. Javier Freedom Park in the capital town of San Jose.
The area was named after former Antique governor Evelio Javier who was shot to death on Feb. 11, 1986 by heavily armed men at the same place where the park is located.
At that time, Javier was the director of Aquino’s campaign in the snap presidential elections against Marcos’ father, then President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Among those who protested the Marcos-Duterte rally was Javier’s son, Gideon, who said that holding a Marcos rally at the place where his father was shot was “insulting,” not only to their family, but also to the people of Antique.
READ: Marcos rally in Antique called off after residents protested