March 29, 2024


If Vice President Leni Robredo and the Liberal Party hate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. with a passion, the feeling is not mutual.
Marcos Jr. is campaigning on a silent mode though it is made noisy by his supporters who came in droves every time he makes an appearance. What attracts them to him?
The majority of those who support Marcos Jr. are tired of the promises and petty speeches extolling the virtue of the liberals and their brand of government. No wonder, during their last senatorial election, not even one Liberal Party candidate won. The “otso-otso” debacle is a resounding message that “tama na, sobra na,” to quote what the liberals would love to say against Marcos.
Double standard, that is what the liberals are doing in this campaign. If it is right and tolerable for them to campaign on a platform of personal issues, why can’t the other parties do the same? Why will it be wrong for the Marcos supporters to express their dislike for Leni and the liberals and get the raw end of it while the supporters of Robredo and the liberals can get away with it with impunity? Why is Marcos Jr. portrayed as an evil candidate when all he did was to file his certificate of candidacy under the banner of his late father’s political party? Why file cases to disqualify him?
There appears to be a sinister plot to oust Marcos Jr. even before the election. Should they succeed, they will disenfranchise the people who have expressed confidence in him. It is an unfair strategy and defies the very reason for an election.
Hence, voters have every reason to plead that the manner by which the campaigning of candidates is being conducted be stopped or at least regulated. A personality-oriented election will not do the country any good. It only enhances our hate-filled conscience and compels us to vote for a candidate because we do not like the other. Do not vote for Marcos Jr. because we hate him and he is the son of the dictator. Marcos Jr. is not qualified to run the country because he has not owned up to the human rights abuses committed by his father.
Oh yeah. The other side can do no less. We will not vote for any liberal party candidate because we hate their party. We will not vote for Robredo because she is actually a “yellowtard” though she insists of being a “pinkihan.” We will not vote for Robredo because her answers to questions are vague and misleading.
It is bringing us nowhere. If we want to move forward, let our people make their own independent choices. Leave Marcos Jr. alone and let the people decide whether he deserves a second chance. Then, Robredo and her liberals can rest easy that they have done their part in respecting the kind of democracy they have fought for.