Admin’s Senate bets ‘untainted by problems’ – Marcos

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. makes pitch for administration’s Senate slate during the proclamation rally of Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas in Ilocos Norte on Feb. 11, 2025. (SCREENGRAB FROM RTVM)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday touted the senatorial bets of the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas anew, saying none of them have any taint on their reputation.

In his speech during the administration-backed party’s proclamation rally in Iloilo City, Marcos once again endorsed his administration’s Senate candidates.

“Wala sa kanila ang may bahid ng problema. Wala sa kanila—wala kayong maririnig na masamang balita tungkol dito sa ating mga kandidato,” he said.

(None of them have a stain on their reputation. None of them—you won’t hear any bad news about our candidates.)

“Ito ay hindi lamang sila ay magaling. Sila ay mabubuting tao. Sila ay mabubuting nagseserbisyo sa publiko,” Marcos added.

(It’s not just that they are competent; they are good people. They serve the public well.)

But for the second time, the President unleashed a storm of denunciations against other candidates, similar to his speech during last Tuesday’s campaign kickoff in Ilocos Norte.

“Wala sa kanila ang may bahid ng dugo dahil sa tokhang. Wala sa kanila ang kasabwat sa pag-aabuso na binulsa ang sako-sakong pera, pinagsamantalahan ang pandemya, binayaan na magkasakit at mamatay ang ating mga kababayan noon panahon ng COVID,” Marcos said, without specifying who he was referring to.

(None of them have blood on their hands from Oplan Tokhang. None of them were involved in abuses—hoarding sacks of money, exploiting the pandemic, or neglecting our fellow citizens, leaving them to fall ill and die during the COVID crisis.)

“Wala sa kanila ang nagsisipsip po sa Tsina. ‘Yung iba pumapalakpak pa na tuwang-tuwa na pagkabinobomba po ng tubig ang ating mga Coast Guard, kapag hinaharang ang ating mangingisda at ninanakaw sa kanila ang kanilang huli,” he added.

(None of them are subservient to China. Others even applaud and celebrate when our Coast Guard vessels is blasted with water, when our fishermen are blocked, and when their catch is stolen from them.)

Although acquitted by the Sandiganbayan in 2018, Revilla was linked to the “Pork Barrel Scam.”

The anti-graft court ruled in 2018 that the prosecution failed to prove Revilla’s guilt in accusations that he allocated P224 million from his Priority Development Assistance Fund to bogus non-government organizations owned by Janet Lim-Napoles.

Despite his acquittal, Revilla faced separate graft charges and was ordered by the court to return P124 million to the state.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, was criticized for his high absenteeism in 2019.

He, however, questioned this in 2021, arguing that his past attendance record was unfairly being used against his competence as a leader.

Alyansa is fielding senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos, Lito Lapid, Bong and Francis Tolentino; former senators Manny Pacquiao, Vicente Sotto III, and Panfilo Lacson; House lawmakers Deputy Speaker Camille Villar and ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo; former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos and Makati City Mayor Abby Binay.