Bongbong Marcos's spokesperson, lawyer Vic Rodriguez has rejected the debate challenge issued by Vice President Leni Robredo to the UniTeam presidential candidate, even as he criticized the "dilawans" (yellows) that the latter supposedly belongs to.
“Nauunawaan ko ang kabiguang naramdaman ni Ginang Robredo na makaharap sa isang pagtatalo at bangayan si presidential frontrunner na si Bongbong Marcos (I understand the failure that Mrs. Robredo feels in facing presidential frontrunner Bongbong Marcos in an argument and conflict)," Rodriguez said in statement Friday, April 29, shortly after the opposition leader issued her dare for Marcos to debate her "anytime, anywhere".
"Sa debate na hamon kay presidential frontrunner Bongbong Marcos ay hindi ito kailanman mangyayari sa ilang kadahilanan. At batid ni Ginang Robredo ang mga kadahilanang ‘yan (The challenge of debate against Bongbong Marcos will never happen due to several reasons. And Mrs. Robredo knows those reasons)," the lawyer said.
He didn't elaborate on these reasons.
The closest Rodriguez came to providing one in his statement was him noting that, "Maaari po na silang dalawa, na parehong naghangad na maging Pangulo ng Republika, ay magkaiba ng paniniwala hinggil sa pamamaraan ng pakikipagtalastasan sa mamamayan (It's possible that the two of them, who both have aspirations of becoming President of the Republic, have differing beliefs when it comes to conducting public debates)."
"Positibong pangangampanya at walang paninira ang gabay ng UniTeam ni Bongbong Marcos. At derecho sa taumbayan ang mga mensahe nito at ang panawagan ng pagkakisa. Pawan mga negatibo, panlilinlang at paninira naman ang sa kampo ng dilawan (The UniTeam of Bongbong Marcos's call is positive campaigning and the shunning of attacks. His messages and appeal for unity goes straight to the people. The camp of the dilawan has nothing but negativity, deceit, and mudslinging)," he further said.
Robredo is a far second to the survey-leading Marcos. While she is technically vying for the presidency as an independent, she remains the chairperson of the Liberal Party (LP), which is associated with the color yellow.
"Sa panahon ng krisis sa ekonomiya na dulot ng pandemya ay malaking ginhawa marahil sa naghihirap na mamamayan ang makitang kalmado lang na nangangampanya at hindi nag-aaway at nagsisiraan ang mga taong naghahangad na mamuno sa bansa (In this time of economic crisis, perhaps it is of great relief for the suffering public to see a calm style of campaigning wherein the aspiring leaders don't resort to quarreling and mudslinging)," added Rodriguez.