

Philippines: National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) – NAMFREL Statement on Restrictions to the Public on Observing Closing of Voting and Taking Pictures of the Posted Election Returns (09.05.2022)












For as long as I can remember, the Spokesperson of the Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Junior Campaign, Attorney Vic Rodriguez has been the vocal one and his the voice of the BBM Presidential Campaign. That is another sign of weakness from the Presidential Candidate.
Rodriguez is the voice, the man of reason and the man of all seasons. He has been everywhere. While the Presidential Candidate has made puff pieces, videos for social media and commercials, but also participate on stages at campaign rallies. However, one-to-one interviews, public debates or COMELEC debates he has dipped out of.
That’s why he has been less vibrant and not in people’s faces. Maybe it is for a reason why Rodriguez is more out there. He has a way with words and knows the meaning of them. While the team is manufacturing what the candidate is saying. Because, they don’t trust his charisma or character in the public.
Maybe the team was afraid that the real “Bong Bong” would be revealed. It is easier to make him look loveable and brilliant for a few moments on stage. Than making him dodge hard questions or hear some possible insults at a debate. Neither would the world be able see him in long interview by an “unfriendly” or by “hostile” media-house. He has dodged it all and seemed like he was worried about the possible questions coming his way. It is really frightening that a man like that has been a front-runner and his been running away from every stress test possible.
Instead, we have seen Rodriguez answering all the media houses, publishing statements and seeing him creating headlines painting BBM in a good light. Nevertheless, if we didn’t know better… it would make more sense of Rodriguez to stand as a man and be the candidate. He has answered and been questioned. Which haven’t happened to Marcos Junior at all.
That is the entitlement and arrogance of “Bong Bong” is very evident. While he thinks this is a wise move, as his dipping through the traffic jam of campaigning and debating. Marcos Junior have gotten away and not taking an interview for the job. His trying to become the Head of State and the biggest representative of the Filipino Nation.
It is really striking that BBM is either afraid or has some personal issues with the press. Since his been so reluctant to show up. That’s why we know Vic, we have seen the attorney and read his quotes. He has spoken his peace and stood in front of the press conferences. Nevertheless, Marcos Junior have not been seen. He just vanished and only popped up for a brief moment at the rallies and went away. Maybe he was part of convoys to the campaign arenas too, but not that he was there for long either.
That’s why it’s weird so close to the end. That we know the Spokesperson better than the Candidate. The man who we are supposed to know and trust. His hidden behind the spokesperson and not been selling himself. Only sold on well-prepared and parts of promotional material, but not elsewhere. Neither has opened himself and played outside his comfort-zone. That’s why we don’t know how we will act under stress or when his under fatigue. No, we know none of that… but we know what Rodriguez will say and how he will defend “Bong Bong” Marcos.
So, my question is … was this Att. Vic Rodriguez campaign or BBM’s?
We know the answer, but we can wonder. If you study headlines and whatnot. You will find Rodriguez all over it. That should have been a worry, but it has been a strategy and I can just wonder if this will backfire. Peace.


“Still smarting from the loss, which he spent five years trying to overturn, Marcos Jr told his nearly six million Facebook followers late Tuesday (May 4) of the need to be “vigilant of our votes”. In the short video, Marcos Jr wore a traditional barong shirt and stood behind a lectern, with the Philippines flag in the background – a far cry from his usual folksy style. “Let us protect our decision and let us not allow it to be stolen from us again,” Marcos Jr said” (Channel News Asia – ‘Marcos Jr warns supporters to prevent Philippine poll being ‘stolen’ 05.04.2022).
The one that should be offended is Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and the other government authorities ensuring free and fair elections in the Philippines. That the so-called front-runner, former senator Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Junior comes out with this now so short before the polls. Only shows that he will have excuses or probable causes, if the results doesn’t go his way. Since he already stated that the election could get stolen.
BBM is really banking on the Pulse Asia polls of late, which have given him a massive advantage. While he has also plenty of endorsements. However, there are other polls and such, which gives the other main candidate a lead, which is Vice President Leni Robredo. So, we know these two will go for the win and no one should deny that. However, there can only be one announced by COMELEC.
We know that in the VP race in 2016, which both of them stood tall in last time. Robredo only one by a small margin over Marcos. It was only differing with about 300,000 votes. Marcos got 14,1 million votes and Robredo get 14,4 million votes. Therefore, no one should be shocked if it becomes close again. It wasn’t like Duterte who won by a landslide in comparison to his competition for the Presidency in the same election.
Yes, by comparison now… both candidates has been endorsed by plenty of people. They have both had successful campaign rallies and been visible. Even if BBM haven’t participated in any one-to-one debate or part of the national debates at all. He has been in the shadow and let his spokesperson take most of the press. That’s why his hiding in the background like his afraid of the public, unless it is friendly people at his rallies. While Robredo has been attending all, except for the last one. So, their campaigns has differed and it shows.
It is really striking to do this in the final stages of the campaign, as you can with certainty know how people will vote. A candidate no matter who they are cannot take away the agency or ability of the voter to vote on whoever they like. The voter can say it wants to vote the BBM to Pulse Asia, but vote secretly of “Isko” for that matter. Therefore, the thieving and stolen vote isn’t even that.
The Presidential Candidate should be better and come with arguments to vote for him. The campaign and the spokesperson should come with viable reasons to back him. Instead, the entitlement and the arrogance is so striking. That he thinks the election will be stolen, if it doesn’t go to him. He has already lost once to Marcos in 2016 and he could in practicality lose for the second time to her. However, that is for the voters to decide and their final choices up to the moment they pick the ballot and actually vote.
“Bong Bong” Marcos should have faith the people. He should show that his ready to represent them and be their guy. Instead his throwing shade about the process and questions the COMELEC before the results is even announced. That is weak tea… Peace.

“(I repeat), you better disabuse your minds about getting into guesses and assumptions. There is none. I will not be endorsing any presidential candidate now until December” – President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (03.05.2022)
At this point in time and so close to the end of the campaigns, the incumbent and outgoing Philippines President Duterte don’t need to endorse anyone. However, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas Ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) did endorse Presidential Candidate Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Junior and Vice President Sara Carpio Duterte on the 21st March 2022. That’s 43 days in between and shouldn’t be forgotten so few days before the polls.
The PDP-Laban National Executive Committee Resolution No. 26 of 21st March 2022 was crystal clear and Duterte is a part of the Cursi faction. He knows the stakes and what his party did. So, Duterte is by association and the voice of the PDP-Laban endorsing the UniTeam without signing a document or release an official statement from himself. At this point… Duterte don’t need to do it, because the PDP-Laban party has already done it.
The party has done the job already and his neutrality is pointless. We knew that he wouldn’t go pink or support any other person than his family. The UniTeam is his place and we all know it. Not like he would endorse Isko or Robredo for that matter. If he did… it would be a shocker, but hard to believe, as his party has already resolved the matter long time ago.
That’s why today’s neutrality statement is pointless. He should just say that he will back the ticket of his daughter and current Davao Mayor Inday Sara Duterte. That’s something people would believe and it would be sincere. Because, the PDP-Laban doesn’t have a direct Presidential Candidate or Vice President. That’s why we know the party is endorsing and working for the UniTeam in this campaign.
The whole time there was a squabble and uncertainty, the PDP-Laban having various of tickets and candidates, which all backed out of the race, including Duterte himself. There was a month or so where the party toyed around with two three types of tickets, which all ended in a clean slate. Therefore, the UniTeam is the only for Duterte…
The PDP-Laban isn’t Switzerland or someone who acts like a neutral party. No, the PDP-Laban has already decided and you cannot backtrack that. Especially, when we know the drill and the reasoning behind it. He can hide behind his own “neutrality” but we know that it’s not totally true. The same with his party, which plenty said they would back Inday Sara. It was inevitable …. and bound to happen.
President Duterte can take us all for fools, but we know better and it’s just posing for the public. We know very well where his heart is and if it wasn’t he would betray his own family. Which we know the President would never do. He like anyone else wants a political dynasty and ushering the daughter to become VP would be the continuation of that legacy. Peace.

