Marcos reminded: Presidency not a game of hide-and-seek

Former Deputy Speaker Erin Tañada. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — “The presidency is not a game of hide-and-seek.”

This was the reminder of former congressman Erin Tañada to presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. amid the latter’s non-appearance in political debates.

Marcos being a no-show in these events are signs that his camp is embracing a different “cancel culture,” according to Tañada, senatorial campaign manager of the camp of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Francis Pangilinan.

“Leadership is about showing up. It is about honoring commitments. The presidency is not a game of hide-and-seek,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

“If what drives Marcos to go back to Malacañang is to relive the ‘taguan’ game in the house of his youth, naku delikado ang bayan dyan [the nation will be in danger for that],” Tañada added.

Marcos has skipped several presidential interviews, forums, and debates organized by the media, such as the interview with GMA veteran journalist Jessica Soho, the forum with Kapisanan ng Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, and the debate organized by CNN Philippines.

He, however, attended the debate sponsored by SMNI, the media network run by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy who has endorsed Marcos’ presidential bid.

Meanwhile, some of his rallies have been rescheduled or postponed. For instance, the grand rally of Marcos with his running mate, vice presidential candidate Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio, scheduled in Antique was called off after residents protested on social media.

“He cannot just hide from his call of ‘unity,’” Tañada went on, referring to Marcos’ repeated call for unity during his campaign rallies.

“Unity in itself is not a platform, not a plan,” Tañada added.“Yes, we can be united, but united for what? United for whom? Marcos is not a unifier, he’s the most divisive factor in this election.”

Tañada warned that Marcos’ “habit” of not showing up to events can lead to him canceling “more important things should, by miracle, he wins.”

“Ngayon debate at rallies lang ang kanyang kina-cancel, kung bibigyan yan ng pagkakataon, ang ika-cancel nya ang asenso ng bansa, ika-cancel niya ang ating COVID recovery, kanselado ang ating pag-unlad,” Tañada said.

(For now, he is canceling debates and rallies, but if given the chance, he’ll also cancel the development of our country, cancel COVID recovery, our prosperity will also be canceled.)

The former congressman also took a hit at what he said is the Marcos camp’s “low-batt” as opposed to the “big and high-energy rallies” of  Robredo and Pangilinan’s camp.

“You’ll see the big difference in the warmth of public reception,” said Tañada.

He said the “Robredo juggernaut” has been holding multiple rallies in a day, “as many as four in fact.”

“For example, in the next 36 hours, we will be hitting six cities in four provinces in Caraga. These are not in big provinces, but for us to mount rallies there is a sign of our strength,” he said.

Further, he said Robredo pulls in the crowd because people know that she will show up.

“And people would come, using their own money, bringing their own food, waving their handmade posters, kasi alam nila na sisipot si VP Leni doon,” Tañada said.

“The difference between VP Leni, who has a disciplined work ethic, and Marcos is that Leni will show up while people will be stood up by Marcos,” he added.

He noted that in recent rallies, Robredo drew huge crowds of volunteers and supporters, with 20,000 showing up in Naga City; 20,000 in Quezon City; 40,000 in Iloilo; 47,000 in Cavite; and 45,000 in Bulacan.

INQUIRER.net has reached out to Marcos’ spokesperson, Atty. Vic Rodriguez, for comment on Tañada’s statement but has yet to receive a response as of writing.

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JPV