Marcos claims administration officials preventing people from supporting him

Independent vice presidential candidate Sen. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has decried the political pressure being applied to some local officials to prevent them from openly supporting his candidacy.

But despite the pressure, Marcos is delighted by the overwhelming support he gets from the public.

On the second day of his campaign sortie in Laguna, Marcos said it would seem that political party leaders are preventing their local members from supporting him.

“Well, ayaw kong ilagay sa alanganin ang ating mga quiet supporter pero marami sila at kahit na minsan ay pinagbabawal sila ng kanilang political bosses…( I do not like to place my quiet supporters on a tight spot as they have been prevented by their political bosses.),” he said in a chance interview in Binan, Laguna.

Marcos did did not say who or what party was stopping their members from supporting him but he got it from good authority that there are many. “Not just one, marami ( but many),” he noted.

Despite the political pressure, Marcos said he still gets the warm welcomed of people many of whom attend his speaking engagements in their areas and expressing their support.

He said his own political party, the Nacionalista Party ( NP), has not made a decision on whom to support because to do so may split the party.

Quiet supporters “Kaya independent ako nag-file dahil talagang hindi namili. Ayaw ng aming pangulo na si Senator Manny (Villar) na mamili ng kandidato yung partido. Baka magkahiwa-hiwalay. Magfa- factionalize ang partido. Ayaw niya nun (That is why I ran as an independent because our party president, former Senate President Manuel Villar do not want to select whom to support lest there might be a division in the party),” he explained.

Aside from Marcos, two other NP members are running for vice presidency – Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Allan Peter Cayetano.

Marcos said he would not let criticism affect his campaign.

“Mayroon talagang mga bumabatikos. Mayroon talagang sumusuporta. Ang aming inaasahan mas marami ang supporter kaysa mga bumabatikos. Kaya tayo nangangampanya (There are those who criticize me. There are also those who support me. We hope there are more supporters than those against me),” he added.

When asked to comment about President Aquino’s active campaign for Liberal Party standard bearers Mar Roxas and Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, Marcos replied:

“Whatever he would like to do, that’s his prerogative as a citizen. Again, that’s not surprising. He has been consistent in his positions. My response to that is that I will just continue to campaign. After all, as I always say let the people judge.

Good showing

In the latest Pulse Asia survey, Marcos got 26 percent of votes among 1,200 respondent following the lead of Sen. Francis ‘’Chiz’’ Escudero who got 29 per cent.

Marcos said the survey “is a reaffirmation that our message for national unity is being accepted by the Filipino people as well as a reflection of the increasing clamor for genuine change through unity.”

“But there still a lot of work to be done before the real survey – the elections in May. We will strive harder to deliver our message to our countrymen, especially our less fortunate brothers and sisters,’’ he said.