FERDINAND “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will not join a debate among presidential candidates organized by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), to be held on Saturday, his spokesman Vic Rodriguez said yesterday.
Rodriguez said Marcos prefers to honor his commitment to his supporters he is set to meet on Saturday.
“I confirm our non-participation in the Comelec-sanctioned debate this coming Saturday, March 19, 2022. Presidential front-runner Bongbong Marcos’ words are his bond, thus we shall honor our commitment to our supporters to be with them on the field on this day,” Rodriguez said in a statement.
He said Marcos will continue his “preferred mode of direct communication” with the people and engage the people in a “more personal face to face interaction.”
There are other dates for the Comelec events as the poll body is set to conduct a five-debate series for the May 9 elections. These are two presidential debates (March 19 and April 3), one vice presidential debate (March 20), one presidential town hall debate (April 23), and one vice presidential town hall debate (April 24).
Marcos’ running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, has publicly said she would not participate in any debates ahead of Election Day.
The Comelec on Sunday said the other nine presidential candidates have confirmed their attendance to the debate on March 19. Another debate is set for April.
Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said candidates who will not join the Comelec’s debates will not be allowed to post their campaign materials in the agency’s e-rally platform.
Aside from Marcos, his running mate, vice presidential aspirant Sara Duterte-Carpio is also skipping the vice presidential debate organized by Comelec.
The Marcos camp repeatedly said that the former senator is not afraid of debates but prefers not to join activities that could result in fighting with other candidates. It also said Marcos attends interviews if his schedule allows it. Marcos has skipped interviews organized by GMA Network, a forum organized by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), and a debate organized by CNN Philippines.
He had interviews with TV personalities Korina Sanchez and Boy Abunda; presidential forums organized by radio stations DZRH and DZBB, and television network TV5; and debate hosted by media network SMNI whose owner, pastor Apollo Quiboloy, has endorsed his presidential bid.
Marcos and Duterte-Carpio’s UniTeam is scheduled to meet today with officials of Cabanatuan City and Nueva Ecija, led by Gov. Aurelio Umali, followed by a motorcade from Cabanatuan to Talavera where a grand rally will be held.
Bulacan Vice Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado expressed confidence Bulacan will still vote for Marcos despite the endorsement by Gov. Daniel Fernando of the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo.
Sy-Alvarado said Marcos won the elections in Bulacan in 2016.
Bulacan is the fifth vote-rich province in the country with 2.007 million registered voters.
