FORMER senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is unlikely to join presidential debates and other forums that could result in fighting among his fellow presidential candidates, his spokesman lawyer Vic Rodriguez said yesterday.
In an interview with ANC, Rodriguez said Marcos is not avoiding the other candidates or any platform where they will go against each other but is merely choosing events where they can address and relay their plans for every concern and issues affecting the public.
He said the people are already tired of the mudslinging and fighting and prefers to hear the actual plans and programs that the future leaders have to address the various problems of the country.
“Kung tayo ay maglalagay lang ng forum para mag-enjoy at makitang nag-aaway si one, two, three four, five candidates, hindi kami sasali diyan. Dahil alam namin ang gustong marinig ng taumbayan ay solusyon dito sa problemang ating kinahaharap (If we will have a forum just to enjoy and see one, two, three four, five candidates fighting, we will not join.
From what we know, the people want to hear the solutions to the problems we have),” he said.
Rodriguez also likened the situation to an applicant for a job, wherein he said the job seeker is interviewed and presents his credentials, and does not debate or fight with his future employer, co-employees and rivals.
Before the campaign period which started on Tuesday, Marcos skipped interviews by GMA Network’s Jessica Soho with presidential aspirants and the forum organized by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP). But he agreed to one-on-one interviews with talks show hosts Boy Abunda and Korina Sanchez and attended a forum organized by radio DZRH.
His absence in the major presidential forums led to the online trending of “#MarcosDuwag.”
Rodriguez said the Marcos camp is still finalizing their sorties. He said factors such as the assassination plot against Marcos and the current alert level in an area are being considered.
Rodriguez also told ANC that Marcos is determined to find out the severity and extent of the death threat made by TikTok user who he said surrendered to the NBI on Tuesday.
The NBI yesterday said the man who turned himself in is considered a person of interest and not yet an accused in the case.
The man denied involvement in the supposed assassination plot against Marcos.
“Actually, yung account na iyon ay hindi po sa akin (The account used to make the threat is not mine),” Ruel “’Bong” Ricafort’ said in a press conference held by the NBI late yesterday.
He said that while he had a Tik Tok account and he was a supporter of Vice President Leni Robredo being a member of the group Bikers for Leni and an official of its San Juan chapter, the said account used to post the threat against Marcos was “faked” and not his.
He said he is ready to face any investigation as he had nothing to hide from the authorities.
“Yung account ko sa Facebook kinuha yung profile picture ko at ang pangalan ko. Hindi po ako yun at never ko pong ginawa yun. Di po ako yun (Someone used the profile picture and name taken from my Facebook account for the Tik Tok account. I did not do that and never will I do that),’ Ricafort who was accompanied by his legal counsel said.
He said he does not know who is behind the fake account, adding he was shocked when he was informed by other people about the threats he allegedly made against Marcos.
NBI Deputy Director and spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin said the investigation is still ongoing and Ricafort could even become a witness.
“We would like to make it very clear that as of the moment, as we speak, Mr. Ricafort is a person of interest in this investigation. He is not an accused yet,” Lavin said. — With Ashzel Hachero
“But in view of the statements openly made by Mr. Ricafort in the presence of his counsel, we challenge Mr. Ricafort and counsel to submit their gadgets for forensic examination and evaluation,”’ Lavin said.
In the same press conference, Lavin also challenged Ricafort asking him if he is just another “Bikoy,” referring to Peter Joemel Advincula who appeared in several videos accusing members of the family of President Duterte and Sen. Christopher Go of being involved in the illegal drugs trade in the country.
Advincula later pointed to members of the opposition as the one behind the videos as part of an plot to oust Duterte from power, a claim the opposition denied.
Ricafort said he is no “Bikoy.”
