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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Solon explains why PBBM's Alyansa speeches don't count as 'smear campaign'

Solon explains why PBBM's Alyansa speeches don't count as 'smear campaign'

Published Feb 17, 2025 08:00 am

At A Glance

  • President Marcos' fiery speeches wherein he has underscored the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate's pro-Filipino stance can't be considered smear campaigning, said House "Young Guns" bloc member 1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez.

IMG-8f990ac65a2142091c2c642d6226b8e1-V.jpgPresident Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (BBM Media Bureau)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

President Marcos' fiery speeches wherein he has underscored the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate's pro-Filipino stance can't be considered smear campaigning.

Thus, said House "Young Guns" bloc member 1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez in a press conference Monday, Feb. 17, as the Chief Executive's speeches on the campaign trial continued to draw attention. 

"I don't think it's smear campaign when we're just talking about issues. We're talking about issues, how do these candidates feel about these issues, where do they stand?" Gutierrez said.

"I think it's very important now na sa taong-bayan dapat maalala po natin yung mga issue na ito kapag bumoboto na po tayo (I think it's very important now for the people, that we must remember these issues when we go out to vote).

"We have to consider po where their stance is. General statements naman po yun (Those are general statements), but they're powerful statements," he explained.

Administration critics have branded as a smear campaign the President's tirades against other senatorial candidates, whom he has described as supposedly "being pro-China" and "having blood-soaked hands". 

He also said such poll bets supported Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), which turned out to backed by syndicated crime. Marcos hasn't mentioned any name in his speeches so far.

Gutierrez continued to defend Marcos, and said: "I think it really highlights po the need to really look into the credentials not just yung achievements but their stances po rin po talaga (but also their stances on issues).

He said that while the discussion has "unfortunately turned into Team Pilipinas vs Team China", his clear preference is the former.

"Team Pilipinas tayo. So suriin po talaga natin kung ano po talaga yung stance natin (We're with Team Philippines. So let's really study what our stances are.)

"There will be a lot of campaign promises. There will be a lot of statements na he said, she said. But at the end of the day, saan po sila talaga nakatayo? (where do they really stand?)" the party-list solon said.

 

Related Tags

matalinong boto 2025 President Marcos smear campaign Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas Rodge Gutierrez
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