THE presidential interviews of broadcast journalist Jessica Soho rolled off Saturday with four presidential interviews, but survey frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. declined to join, citing “bias” by the host against the Marcoses.
In a statement, GMA network disputed the claim of being “biased,” lamenting that the former senator was missing the chance to tell people important information about his candidacy. The aspirants who participated were Senators Panfilo Lacson and Manny Pacquiao, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, and Vice President Leni Robredo. Workers’ party leader Leody de Guzman criticized GMA network for excluding him from the interviews.
In a statement hours before the interviews, Atty Victor D. Rodriguez, Marcos chief of staff and spokesman,
said Marcos’s decision “not to join the Jessica Soho show is founded on our belief that the hostess of said popular talk show is biased against the Marcoses, and 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 added: “We believe, though, that this 2022 elections could be the most important elections in our lifetime where candidates like presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos should be expected to present what his programs and plans are for the country to move forward with his economic plans, vision on education and digital infrastructure, employment creation, ensuring food security through a robust agriculture, how to bring the cost of power more affordable and all the way to our national sovereignty.”
Finally, Rodriguez said: “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.”
In debunking the claim of Marcos’s camp, GMA network said it “takes exception to the statement of former senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. that Kapuso news pillar Jessica Soho is supposedly biased against the Marcoses, the reason for the presidential candidate to decline participating on the JS Presidential Interviews.”
It noted that, “throughout her career, Ms. Soho has consistenly been named the most trusted media personality in the Philippines by both local and foreign organizations.”
In the network special, GMA said, “ Ms. Soho boldly asks the president aspirants that questions that need to be asked—their intentions behind running for the position, the controversies thrown at them, their stand on pressing issues and concrete plans should they be elected. The questions are tough because the presidency is tough.”