OLONGAPO CITY — Vice presidential aspirant Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday welcomed the results of the latest Pulse Asia survey which showed that that he has overtaken rival Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero in percentage points.
Asked about his good numbers in preference surveys despite the criticisms against him, Marcos said personal attacks and mudslinging had become part of the Philippine political landscape, particularly during campaign period.
“Lahat naman may bumabatikos, lahat may sumusuporta. Siguro ang kakaiba lang, ang namumuno sa pambabatikos sa akin ay ang pangulo,” Marcos said during the first Radyo Inquirer “Issues Forum” at the Rizal Triangle Multipurpose Center in this city.
(Everyone has critics, everyone has supporters. Perhaps, what’s different is that it is the President who leads the criticisms against me.)
READ: For the first time, Marcos beats Escudero as leading VP bet in latest poll
In various occasions, President Benigno Aquino III had repeatedly criticized the son and namesake of the late dictator for refusing to acknowledge and apologize for the human rights violations and atrocities committed during the regime of his late father.
But Marcos said his performance in latest preference polls was a manifestation that Filipinos accept and understand his campaign message.
“Sa aking pananaw ay kaya pa rin maganda ang takbo ng survey ay maganda ang reception ng taumbayan sa aking mensahe,” Marcos said.
“Kinakampanya ko ang isang kilusan ng pagkakaisa ng sambayanang Pilipino,” he added.
(The way I see it, the surveys are going well because the people receive my message favorably.
I am campaigning for a movement of a united Filipino people.)
Marcos edged out longtime frontrunner Escudero in the latest Pulse Asia survey by one percentage point, but the senators remained statistically tied. CDG
READ: Bongbong: Let historians, not politicians, judge Marcos rule
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