FERDINAND “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said Wednesday, November 3, 2021, that he will not “slide down” or “back out” from the 2022 presidential race despite the filing of a petition that calls for his disqualification.
“Hindi ako natatakot. Hindi ako aatras. Hindi ako mag-withdraw. Patuloy ang lahat ng aking gagawin. Hindi ako mag-slide down. Patuloy lang ang aking kandidatura. At sa aking mga supporters sa buong Pilipinas, nagpapasalamat ako na hindi nawawala ang inyong tiwala sa akin,” he said in a radio interview.
(I am not afraid. I will not back out or withdraw. I will continue my plans. I will not slide down. I will push through with my candidacy. I thank my supporters for their trust in me.)
Marcos’s statement came after civic leaders filed on Tuesday, November 2, a petition urging the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to cancel or deny his certificate of candidacy for president due to the “multiple false material representations” it contains.
The petitioners said Marcos is a “convicted criminal,” citing his conviction before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court in 1995 over his “multiple failures” to file his income tax returns from 1982 to 1985.
Marcos said the filing of the petition was politically motivated and could have probably been made by his opponents.
“Siguro kasama na rin ‘yan sa pagpolitika lalo na ‘yong aming mga kalaban. Imbes na humarap sa sa eleksyon, kasi siguro natatakot sila sa numero, idi-disqualify na lang ako (That could have been part of my opponents’ tactics to disqualify me),” he said.
“Kung maalala ninyo, ‘yong takbo ni Duterte ganoon din ang nangyari. Sinusubukan rin siyang i-disqualify dahil hindi na kaya sa election. Eh parang ganoon din ang pakiramdam ko na ganoon din ang ginagawa sa akin,” he added.
(If you could recall, that’s what also happened to President Rodrigo Duterte when there were attempts to disqualify him because they could not beat him. I feel like they’re also doing that to me.)
Marcos has been in hot water for allegedly lying about getting a degree at the Oxford University in England.
The university confirmed that Marcos was not able to complete his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, but he was awarded with a special diploma in social studies in 1978.
Marcos maintained he was a graduate of one of the prestigious universities in the world. (SunStar Philippines)