On Thursday, February 3, celebrities expressed their opinion regarding presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. backing out of another presidential interview.
The former senator once again is unable to appear in the presidential forum organized by Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) today, February 4.
According to KBP President Herman Basbaño, there was a conflict in schedules, hindering the appearance of Marcos in the discussion.
“Ang hindi tumanggap ng ating imbitasyon ay si former Senator Bongbong Marcos. May letter naman sila (Marcos’ camp) declining the invitation. I think it was because of some conflicts sa schedules nila,” said Basbaño.
Young artist Gabby Padilla was “confused” that Marcos might be running away from the presidency rather than running for it.
Just to clarify, he knows he’s running FOR the presidency and not FROM it right? Ok cool. https://t.co/7kZgE1JRMM
— Gabby (@GabbyGPadilla) February 3, 2022
Using the #BaBackoutMuli, actress Agot Isidro lauded sarcastically the former senator’s “consistency.”
Consistent naman sya sa pagiging walang ambag.
– sa talino
– sa diskurso
– sa plano
– sa attendance (bare minimum)#BaBackoutMuli— Agot Isidro (@agot_isidro) February 3, 2022
Singer Bituin Escalante and comedian Gabe Mercado even stressed that the presidential candidate is a “coward.”
Wag du Wag du Wag Duwag Duwag Duwag. #MarcosDuwag https://t.co/3SOOuzQ0oh
— bituin escalante (@gobituin) February 3, 2022
Potsu wi wagdu! Huwag niyong ibutu! #MarcosDuwagParin
— Gabe Mercado (@gabemercado) February 3, 2022
TV personality Justin Dizon even laughed at the news of Marcos’s withdrawal from the discussion.
HAHAHAHA DUWAG#BaBackoutMuli https://t.co/gj1WEZPWhF
— Justin Dizon (@iamjustindizon) February 3, 2022
Musician Jim Paredes concluded that Marcos’s “balls, gusts, and heart are scheduled to be somewhere else for the rest of the campaign.”
https://twitter.com/Jimparedes/status/1489114367593705472
Vlogger Gaia Poly even compared the former senator’s absences to that of internet sensation Kween Yasmin’s regular release of songs.
How can you lead a country with a several issues to talk about if you yourself cannot even face a forum like this? Mas masipag pa si Kween Yasmin sayo every week may bagong kanta ikaw everyweek absent https://t.co/k5WMVtLWR1
— Gaia (@_GaiaPoly) February 3, 2022
Cartoonist Zach even had to make a funny skit of Marcos running away from interviews.
Takbo Junior Takbo #BaBackoutMuli #MarcosDuwag
CARMMA x @KevinKalbo x @cartoonistzach pic.twitter.com/EiFtnFXmZR
— Cartoonist ZACH (@cartoonistzach) February 3, 2022
Meanwhile, to defend Marcos from the backlash created by his refusal to appear in the upcoming presidential forum, social media personality Ash Presto expected that the presidential aspirant’s camp would rely on their propaganda pages.
Marcos Jr.'s camp chooses to take the backlash from netizens as he declines credible media interviews, rather than see his stats dip when the public finds out he's got nothing.
Express your anger, but act smart.
The Marcos Team relies on propaganda pages. You know where to go.
— Ash Presto 💜 (@sosyolohija) February 3, 2022
Alibis, alibis, alibis.
Throughout his presidential campaign, Marcos has dismissed live interviews. It started with his failure to appear in the Commission on Election (COMELEC) hearing for the disqualification case against him.
He reasoned that he might spread the Omicron virus, another Corona virus variant, if he appears [virtually] to the trial.
He also had to excuse himself from appearing in Jessica Soho’s The Jessica Soho Presidential Interviews for the reason that the award-winning broadcast journalist was “biased.”
The former senator then failed to appear in a live stream interview with Trixie Cruz-Angeles on DWIZ 882 and claimed that there were “bandwidth issues.”
Their conversation got pre-recorded, instead.
GMA network’s radio station DZBB was also rejected because Marcos had “technical difficulties.”
Marcos, however, accepted an interview with TV host Boy Abunda. He was also present on certain occasions such as birthdays and weddings.
The absence of presidential aspirants from debates is a red flag.
COMELEC Spokesperson James Jimenez said that absentee presidential bets from multiple debates could be considered a warning sign for voters.
“It could be a red flag for the voters,” he said.
Jimenez also stressed that the mere presence of candidates is critical for voters to get to know them better.
“What COMELEC cares about is whether or not the public will have an opportunity to interrogate the candidate so to speak. To interrogate their positions, to interrogate their beliefs and so on,” pointed Jimenez.
The poll body will be conducting six presidential debates in February, March, and April. Details are yet to be announced, where the discussions will take place.
The spokesman also noted that they will not “gloss over” certain political aspirants’ absence in COMELEC’s debates.
“I think it’s very important in recognition of how important it is with the people, that we acknowledge that they fail to show up. It’s not going to be glossed over, it’s not going to be ignored, there’s gonna have a podium right there, with their name on it and no face above it.”
