Presidential candidate and Partido Federal ng Pilipinas standard-bearer Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. has no plan of withdrawing his candidacy for President.
"Sasagutin na lang namin ito pagdating. Siguro kasama na rin 'yan sa pulitika. Lalo na 'yung aming mga kalaban ay imbes na humarap sa eleksyon... kasi siguro natatakot sila sa numero, idi-disqualify na lang ako. Pero hindi ako natatakot, hindi ako aatras, 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 (We will answer it when it comes. I guess that's part of politics. Especially my opponents, who instead of facing me in the elections.. because they’re afraid of the numbers, want me to be disqualified. But I'm not afraid, I will not withdraw, I'll continue everything that I am doing, I won't slide down. I'll continue with my candidacy and to my supporters from all over the Philippines, I'm thankful that they have continued to trust in me),” Marcos said in a statement released by his camp on Wednesday, November 3.
"We shall address this predictable nuisance petition at the proper time and forum after we receive the official copy of the same," lawyer Vic Rodriguez, Marcos' Chief of Staff and spokesperson, said in a press statement.
"Until then, we will refrain from commenting on their propaganda. Our camp does not engage in gutter politics. Our campaign is about nation-building. For Presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos, this election is about the future of the Filipino people," Rodriguez added.
Several groups and personalities on Tuesday, Nov. 2, submitted a petition before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) seeking to cancel or deny the certificate of candidacy (COC) of the former lawmaker over supposed “false material representation” stemming from a 1995 tax case.
The said petitioners questioned Marcos' eligibility as a Presidential candidate in the 2022 national election after paying a Court of Appeals mandated fine in 1997 for a tax case. (Melvin Sarangay)