On Friday, January 21, leading presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos backed down in Jessica Soho’s The Jessica Soho Presidential Interviews and had celebrities sharing their respective opinions on social media.
Talent manager and sometimes actor Ogie Diaz was disappointed by Marcos’s withdrawal, saying that it was his chance to defend himself from controversies against him.
Sayang ang chance. Para sana mas makilala siya ng mga tao at maipagtanggol ang sarili sa mga o”isyu. https://t.co/44B2IxyuQ8
— ogie diaz (@ogiediaz) January 21, 2022
Young artist JC Alcantara also stressed that it was an opportunity for Marcos to explain his plans for the Philippines if he becomes President. He also implied that excuses do not make any aspiring leader good.
“Dapat marinig natin yung mga plano nila sa bansa natin. Dapat hindi laging excuse ang gawain ng susunod na President natin! Dapat yung walang takot at walang inuurungan!”
Filmmaker Antoinette Jadaone and award-winning actor Elijah Canlas were not even surprised by Marcos’s refusal to do the interview.
May nagulat ba? https://t.co/wzd5Eq4w5S
— Toñet (@tonetjadaone) January 21, 2022
What’s new? #MarcosDuwag
— Elijah Canlas (@elijahcanlas_) January 21, 2022
Meanwhile, some celebrities consider it an act of “cowardice.”
TV personality Justin Dizon called Marcos “duwag” for refusing the interview.
duwag amp https://t.co/b42gMNKML0
— Justin Dizon (@iamjustindizon) January 21, 2022
He also ridiculed the presidential aspirant as he was known to attend weddings.
Dapat daw kase ganito yung invitation para umattend.#MarcosDuwag pic.twitter.com/w0Th7gKMh6
— Justin Dizon (@iamjustindizon) January 21, 2022
Gabe Mercado was skeptical of Marcos’s valor as President if he could not simply present himself to Soho and Commission on Election (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon.
Yung tiger of the north niyo.
Umatras sa hearing.
Umatras sa interview.
Tiyak aatras sa debate.
Kay Jessica Soho at Rowena Guanzon pa lang na magbubusi at magtatanong lang, tiklop at takbo na, paano pa tayo ipagtatanggol nito kung may kalaban na talaga? #MarcosDuwag
— Gabe Mercado (@gabemercado) January 22, 2022
Theater actress Gab Pangilinan agreed that Marcos was a “coward.”
Also. "May kilala ba kayo na Marcos na umatras?"
Opo. Ikaw. #MarcosDuwag
— gab (@gabpangilinan) January 21, 2022
Singer Saab Magalona shared what her reaction would be like.
Imagine applying for a job and skipping the interview pic.twitter.com/wUMQVdqHX7
— Saab (@saabmagalona) January 21, 2022
Marcos camp explains.
Marcos was supposed to be interviewed along with Vice President Leni Robredo, Senators Ping Lacson and Manny Pacquiao, and Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso.
Atty. Victor Rodriguez, Marcos’ chief of staff and spokesperson, said in a statement on Saturday, January 22, that the reason for the refusal was because the award-winning broadcast journalist was “biased.”
“The reason why Bongbong Marcos decided not to join the Jessica Soho show is founded on our belief that the hostess of [the] said popular talk show is biased against the Marcoses.
“Therefore, we believe her questions will just focus on negativity about BBM which the UniTeam dislike and will not subscribe as it hopes that the discourse in any forum about this coming elections must focus on how the aspiring presidents will solve our country’s lingering problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and what their plans are for our country to roll up from economic stagnation.”
Rodriguez noted that the interviews should be expected to have candidates present their programs.
“These and other equally important aspects of an aspirant‘s preparedness to lead, ability to govern, and capability to be president cannot be tested by his mere appearance on a show that has been perceived by us and our supporters as having previously displayed a preconceived judgment against the Marcoses,” he said.
“We will continue with our way of communicating direct to the people in so many equally significant shows, platforms, and forums where all the attendees are allowed to present their visions, plans, and platforms freely, unfiltered and unhindered by any biases.”
However, actor Bart Guingona pointed out that it is Marcos’s way of invoking the 5th amendment—the one invoked by criminals.
On the other hand it would’ve been an opportunity for him to clear “misconceptions” and show what he’s made of. It would have been an opportunity for him to prove his accusations against Jessica Soho. Instead he took the 5th amendment route— the one invoked by criminal suspects. https://t.co/DxJaT8XPwo
— Bart Guingona (@guingonabart) January 22, 2022
Marcos’s camp confirmed that BBM would instead be interviewed by Boy Abunda in ABS-CBN’s upcoming presidential interviews to be aired next week.
