Bongbong says only a rigged election would keep him from becoming VP

Vice presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said on Saturday that his victory was in the bag if only there would be no cheating during Monday’s elections.

In a press statement issued a few minutes before attending a street party in Quezon City Saturday night, Marcos, the son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos, said the recent endorsement of influential religious groups such as the Iglesia Ni Cristo, El Shaddai and the Jesus is Lord Movement, had boosted his chances of winning the country’s second highest position.

The street party held at Barangay West Triangle was organized by the Youth for Miriam Movement in support of the presidential and vice presidential bids of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago and her running mate Marcos, respectively.

Marcos added that the support from the religious and political groups as well as from influential political clans proved the country was “clamoring for national unity” instead of partisan politics.

Marcos had earlier been endorsed by political parties Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, National Unity Party (NUP), One Cebu, and the United Bohol Opposition, among others.

Several political families had also endorsed Marcos’ candidacy such as the Ynareses of Rizal, the Estradas of Manila, Gomez of San Juan, Aguilar-Villars of Las Pinas, Eusebios of Pasig, Cojuangcos of Pangasinan, Dys of Isabela, Singsons of Ilocos Sur, Remullas of Cavite, Ortegas of La Union, Teveses of Bacolod and Yaps of Tarlac.

Vote buying, ‘Plan B’

Despite his optimism, Marcos  was nevertheless uneasy over the possible outcome of the May 9 elections especially as he supposedly received reports of massive vote-buying, allegedly by the candidates of the administration Liberal Party (LP).

Marcos claimed that certain candidates were giving away as much as P300,000 to P500,000 to each mayor to ensure their victory in each mayors' jurisdiction

Marcos was also worried about a supposed “Plan B”, allegedly hatched by the administration in anticipation of presidential candidate and Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s victory.

Both Marcos and Duterte have been leading in recent pre-election surveys taken by pollsters Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations.

However, poll results released on Wednesday had LP’s vice presidential bet Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo overtaking Marcos in the rankings by two percentage points.

A Pulse Asia survey released on May 7, meanwhile, had Marcos and Robredo in a statistical tie in the top spot.

Marcos on Friday had also alleged that the pre-election surveys were being manipulated to establish a “fake trend” as part of the administration’s plan of securing Robredo’s victory at all costs.

"Tapos, ipapanalo nila si Robredo at i-impeach si (Mayor Rodrigo) Duterte pagka si Duterte ang nanalo. 'Yun daw ang plano para LP pa rin ang namumuno. That's what I hear at kalat na kalat na 'yun,” Marcos said.

Robredo and LP standard-bearer former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas both denied the allegations, which they characterized as a "figment" of Marcos' imagination. — DVM, GMA News