Vice presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. says he is prepared to engage in all intellectual discussions and antagonistic exchanges in today’s vice presidential debate organized by the Commission on Elections at the University of Santo Tomas.
The frontrunner in the vice presidential race said he is preparing for all possibilities especially antagonistic exchanges as he expected immense mudslinging during the debate.
He says he expects to bear the brunt of the mudslinging given the peculiar attention his campaign has been getting the past two months and the public pronouncements of his rival candidates against him.
But he was quick to concede that it is all part of politics.
“But I guess these are all part of politics and we all hear these things during the campaign. We are preparing,” he pointed out.
Marcos has been the subject of attacks and tirades raised by his detractors led by President Benigno Aquino III.
However, the senator vowed to stick to his campaign policy of keeping it centered on his call for unity and platform of government and not engage in mudslinging just to stay ahead of his rivals.
“It has always been my belief that mudslinging will not do our country any good. We have been polarized by our leaders long enough and look where it brought us. Instead of trying to put each other down, we should just present our plans and programs to the people so that they will have an informed choice on who to vote come May 9,” he pointed out.
He expressed hope that the attacks would stop after the elections so the elected leaders could begin fulfilling their duties to serve the people.
“This is a reality of the electoral process in our country. But I hope that after the elections, our leaders set aside all politicking and buckle down to work to fulfill their mandate to serve the people,” said Marcos who has kept his momentum as he maintained his lead over his rivals in the vice presidential race.
In the non-commissioned Pulso ng Pilipino survey conducted by the Issues and Advocacy Center from April 1 to 7, 2016, Marcos kept his lead at 28.5 percent, up from his previous 27 percent taken from March 16-22, 2016 by the same firm.
Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo was in second place at 23.5 percent overtaking Senator Francis Escudero who got 22.5 percent.
Senator Allan Peter Cayetano took the fourth spot at 16 percent followed by Senator Gregorio Honasan at 4.25 percent and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV at 3.75 percent. 1.75 percent were undecided,
Marcos also led in the A/B, D and E socio-economic classes with 27 percent, 23 percent and 24 percent respectively.