Critics boosting my candidacy, says Bongbong Marcos

Keep them coming.

Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday thanked his detractors, including President Aquino, for giving his vice presidential bid the “nonstop attention” it needs.

“There is a lot of attention on me and I am thankful for that nonstop criticism of my candidacy. My supporters, not detractors, are growing in numbers,” he said in a statement.

“I just wonder why they are so afraid of me when I am a kind and quiet person,” Marcos quipped, pointing out that he has not engaged in any form of mudslinging in his campaign and has neither done nor said anything to offend anyone.

The senator, who is gaining potential voters based on the latest vice presidential surveys, said he expects more attacks as the election draws near, particularly from the President himself.

“President Aquino has been leading the attacks against me. We are not allies so I expect more attacks in the coming weeks,” he said.

Marcos vowed to stick to his campaign and shun mudslinging.

Meanwhile, Malacañang Thursday said President Aquino was not behind the filing of a plunder complaint against Marcos, contrary to the claims of the vice presidential candidate.

“Contrary to the claims of Senator Marcos, the government has no involvement in the reported case for plunder filed against him by an anticorruption group,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said when sought for comment on the senator’s statement.  Jeannette I. Andrade and Nikko Dizon