Marcos Campaigns for Admin Senate Bets

The usually diplomatic President Marcos was in fighting mode during the kickoff rally of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas yesterday as he took a swipe at his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte over a number of issues that hounded the previous administration, including its brutal drug war and its pivot to China.

- Alexis Romero and Cecille Swerte Felipe

Speaking before a jam-packed crowd at the Centennial Arena here in his bailiwick, Marcos heaped praises on his allies who are running for senator and touted their extensive government experience, while taking a jab at other groups that he said had difficulties forming a lineup.

He then made reference to several controversies tied to the Duterte administration and claimed that none of the senatorial bets were involved in them.

“Look at the record of our candidates. None of them are tainted with blood because of Tokhang,” the President said, referring to Duterte’s anti-drug campaign which left more than 6,000 suspects dead, based on official figures.

During the latter part of his speech, Marcos alluded again to the Duterte drug war, saying nobody wants innocent lives to be taken away from their families.

“Do we want to return to the path where the blood of innocent children who were taken away from their mothers are flowing? Children who were snatched from their homes and who were deprived of their future? No Filipino wants to return to that kind of governance,” he added.

Marcos also claimed that none of the Alyansa candidates had stashed public funds while Filipinos were dying due to the pandemic. He was apparently referring to the allegations that the Duterte administration had entered into questionable procurement deals at the height of the COVID-19 crisis.

“None of them (Alyansa candidates) was involved in the pocketing of sacks of money, took advantage of the pandemic crisis and allowed our countrymen to get sick and die,” the Chief Executive said.

Marcos also hit Duterte’s policy on China, which has been engaging in aggressive behavior to assert its illegal maritime claim in the South China Sea. The former president was accused of being too soft on China and of not doing enough to assert the Philippines’ rights and interests in the strategic seaplane.