President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (RTVM Screenshot)

ILOILO CITY--Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidates have come out to defend President Marcos on Thursday, Feb. 13, over his recurring campaign speech that contained apparent tirades at the opposition.

Taking up the cudgels for the Chief Executive were former Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, former senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, and ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo.

The trio joined their nine other fellow Alyansa bets in the campaign rally here at the Gaisano City Center where President Marcos again delivered a diatribe-filled speech.

Like the Alyansa's campaign kickoff in Laoag City on Tuesday, Feb. 11, Marcos outright bragged that none of the administration "senatoriables" had blood on their hands from killings of innocent people, including children.

He also said that none of them supported Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) or belonged to the group of people who applauded China's acts of aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), including the blocking of Filipino fishermen.

Just before the campaign period began, Alyansa campaign manager Navotas City lone district Rep. Toby Tiangco vowed that they wouldn't use negative tactics to woo voters.

Sotto said that President Marcos' remarks didn't contradict what had been declared by Tiangco. "Hindi naman kandidato si Presidente (The President is not a candidate)," he noted.

“He (Marcos) was merely stating facts and that is as far as his perspective is concerned. It has nothing to do doon sa sinasabi sa amin ng aming campaign manager na walang siraan (It has nothing to do with what or campaign manager said that there will be no negative tactics)," Sotto said. 

“Hindi naman naninira kundi may pinupuri ka eh. Meron kang binabanggit na fact tapos hindi nagagawa ng iba (It's not about slandering people, but about praising them. He's mentioning facts that other people aren't doing)," he explained, adding that Marcos was merely promoting the Alyansa bets.

Lacson raised the possibility that there's more than meets the eye to Marcos' statements. The latter is the country's President, after all.

“Alam niyo yung Pangulo may access sa lahat ng information. So I‘d like to think na merong pinanggagalingan yung kanyang passion doon sa kanyang speech para magbigay ng pitch sa kanyang mga kandidato,” sad the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief. 

(You know, the President has access to all information. So I'd like to think that the President’s passion to give a pitch like that for his candidates came from somewhere.)

Lacson went to speculate: “Speculation ito: baka naman merong mga seryosong threat, security threat hindi lamang sa kanyang administration kundi sa kanyang sariling buhay (This is speculation: there could be serious threats, security threats not just against his administration but to his own life)."

"Minsan kasi nadadala tayo ng emotion nae-express natin in a subliminal manner, naisasama natin sa ating pananalita (Sometimes our emotions get the best of us and we express it in a subliminal manner through our speech)," he said.

For Tulfo, the Chief Executive is just expressing his opinions.

“Si Pangulong [Marcos], bagama’t di siya kandidato, mayroon siyang idea at opinyon (Despite not being a candidate, President Marcos has his own ideas and opinions. [We] stay away from negative campaigning, lahat naman kami dito (all of us here) we will just based it on our performance,” Tulfo said.