MANILA, Philippines – Senatorial candidate Atty. Vic Rodriguez slammed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s endorsement of the Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate, calling it a “kiss of death” and challenging the administration to focus on pressing national issues instead of political branding.
Rodriguez, a candidate under former president Rodrigo Duterte’s Partido Demokrasya ng Pilipinas, criticized Marcos for dismissing their slate as “bumili lang ng suka candidates.” He said such remarks only serve to distract voters from the real problems facing the country.
“I challenge Marcos to engage in an issue-based campaign. Let’s talk about rice prices, inflation, the billion-peso drug haul in Alitagtag, the sale of multi-billion peso gold bars, and the unexplained budget items in the national budget,” Rodriguez said.
Among the key promises Marcos has yet to fulfill, according to Rodriguez, is his 2022 campaign pledge to bring down the price of rice to P20 per kilo. With inflation continuing to affect essential goods, Rodriguez argued that Filipinos deserve accountability, not political theatrics.
He also pointed to the controversy surrounding the seizure of billions worth of illegal drugs in Alitagtag, Batangas, questioning the government’s commitment to combating drug syndicates. “What happened to the fight against illegal drugs? Why is there silence from the administration?” he asked.
Rodriguez also raised concerns over the sale of gold bars allegedly linked to the government, as well as blank allocations in the national budget, calling for transparency in public spending. “These are the things that should be discussed, not name-calling and gimmicks,” he said.
He accused the Marcos administration of using political endorsements to divert attention from these pressing issues. “This election is not about ‘team suka’ or political alliances, but about the everyday struggles of ordinary Filipinos,” Rodriguez added.
With campaign season heating up, Rodriguez’s challenge signals an intensifying battle between administration-backed candidates and those aligned with the opposition, making national issues a central theme in the race.