The camp of Manila mayor Isko Moreno blames the media for making the Easter Sunday press conference of survey laggards to be an "anti-Leni Robredo" briefing, even though it was Moreno who first made the call for the vice president to withdraw from the presidential race.
In an ANC interview this morning, Aksyon Demokratiko chair Ernest Ramel said the all-male panel - which he described as the "gentlemen" Moreno, Sen Ping Lacson, and former security adviser Norberto Gonzales - was only "obliged" to make comments about Robredo because of the media
"It was that way because the questions by the media, they kept on pounding on the issue on Vice Presidnet Leni Robredo. That's why the gentlemen obliged them by answering what they really felt," Ramel told ANC Headstart.
facebook.com/ANCalerts/vide…
facebook.com/ANCalerts/vide…
Ramel said Moreno was compelled to divulge his thoughts about the vice president after he heard that even the two other candidates, Gonzales and Lacson, were being approached by Robredo's camp to withdraw and give way to a two-way race between Robredo and Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Headstart anchor @iamkarendavila asked Ramel about his take of blaming the media when it was Moreno who dared Robredo to withdraw: "Why are you blaming the media, if the call for Leni to withdraw came from Manila mayor Isko Moreno himself, w/o the media asking him to say that?"
Ramel considered his statement vs the media but pushed on. "Ito 'yung danger of calling on the media. Pwede ibalik sa akin." He defended Moreno's thoughts about the VP because as early as last year, Robredo's supporters have been calling on him to withdraw from the race.
Ramel admitted that calling on Robredo to withdraw was Moreno's own call, and not part of the general agenda in yesterday's press conference, widely criticized on social media as a public show of a bruised male ego and their tantrums against Robredo.
The candidates yesterday were only supposed to back each other up even as they rank low in surveys and remind the public that they are still qualified & competent presidential candidates.They also agreed to serve the administration of the incoming President if one of them wins.
Davila asked Ramel about his statements against the media when it was Moreno who seemed to have used the press conference to campaign for himself at the expense of the other candidates.
@iamkarendavila : Some members of the media who are at the presscon and they're watching you right now. Interesting question from the people who are actually there. Didn't Moreno use that opportunity to campaign at the expense of the other candidates?
Ramel said Moreno only used the opportunity to back up Gonzales' observation that the number two in surveys - who is Robredo - is not faring well to defeat the frontrunner, the late dictator's only son and namesake Ferdinand Marcos Jr. It was Gonzales who first floated the idea.
"Siguro sa simula, n'ung nasimulan na niya yung pagtawag kay Vice President to withdraw, he felt that he should pounce on that point because to his mind... tama si Sec. Gonzales, na the number two may not be able to beat the number one candidate," Ramel said.
The Aksyon Demokratiko official also slammed news angles and statements from Robredo's supporters using the "gender card." "They used that 'gender card.' It was a concerted effort to use the gender card yesterday on social media. It's as if the vice president is helpless."
Ramel said using the "gender card" is also "sexist," although he did not elaborate on this claim. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, using the "gender card" is "to make a claim that race/gender was unjustly considered as a reason for the way a person was treated."
Ramel: "Reducing it to a 'gender card' is more sexist. Sila pa nga 'yung nagsasabi na mahina ang babae, na inaapi. Hindi naman gan'on ang kaso with the Vice President. She's a very capable politician. She's been a politician for nine years and she's the wife of a politician."
"They portrayed the Vice President as a lady with no way to defend herself. Come on, hindi naman batang paslit si bise presidente. Now they're saying ang magbebenfit si Bongbong Marcos. I don't think so," Ramel added.
Ramel also took issue with the news angle of @rapplerdotcom on yesterday's presscon, & the headline describing the members of the all-male panel as "male survey laggards." "Isn't that a loaded headline na talagang ginawa gender ang issue, tapos laggards?" rappler.com/nation/electio…
They are laggards at least accdg to recent surveys. Moreno's numbers are better but in single digits:
Pulse March 17-21: 8%
Feb 18-23: 10%
Jan 19-24 : 8%
Dec 1-6: 8%
Octa Research Dec 7-12: 12%
Feb 12-17: 11%
April 2-6: 9%
Feb 18-23: 10%
Jan 19-24 : 8%
Dec 1-6: 8%
Octa Research Dec 7-12: 12%
Feb 12-17: 11%
April 2-6: 9%
Ramel: That's not a fair characterization along with the other questions yesterday. That's why it went to that conversation, na naging anti-Leni Robredo na tuloy. It was media who put those questions in and eventually forced yung sentiments ng mga candidates came out about her"
Meanwhile, UP Diliman political scientist @francojean825 in a DZRH interview this morning said there was nothing to gain for the male presidential candidates in attacking the only female presidential bet in the race.
facebook.com/dzrhnews/video…
facebook.com/dzrhnews/video…
Encinas-Franco said Moreno, Lacson and Gonzales made the mistake of attacking the second placer in surveys, who is a woman, but not the frontrunner, the late dictator's only son and namesake Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is a man.
"Ang naging dating ng nangyari kahapon, 'yun na nga, parang mga lalaki na kinuyog 'yung isang babaeng kandidato. 'Yun 'yung naging dating eh. Naiintindihan kong masasama mga loob nila,mayroong mga supporters nilang nagswitch, may mga lumapit sa kanila, pinagwiwithdraw sila..."
"...pero para collectively magpresscon sila para sabihin 'yung sama ng loob nila, thats too much, I think po. Ang dating tuloy nga, parang kinukuyog nila si VP Leni," Encinas-Franco said.
Encinas-Franco said she could not understand the "logic" in attacking #2 in surveys instead of #1 "Akala ko ba gusto nilang manalo?Bakit hindi yung #1, mas marami namang pwedeng negative na masasabi?Hindi ko talaga maintindihan kahit gusto ko intindihin yung sama ng loob nila."
Encinas-Franco said Moreno also turned too "emotional" when it comes to Robredo and how he was taken in for a ride in last year's unification talks. It seems the all-male panel did not talk through the message of the presscon, disrupted by Moreno's call for Robredo to withdraw.
"Tila hindi sila masyadong nakapag-usap nang masinsinan. 'Yung statements nila general, tapos n'ung nagpresscon na, kanya kanya na, lalo na si Isko. Masyadong naging emotional, na nakita mo 'yung sama ng loob niya," Encinas-Franco said.
The political analyst said in the end, it was Robredo who benefitted from the male candidates’ public airing of grievances. "Mapababae, mapalalaki, lalo na 'yung mga machong lalaki - ayaw nila ng gan'on eh, na 'yung puro mga lalaki pinagtutulungan ang kaisa-isang babae."
"At 'yung mga ibang babae naman, makikita nila, bakit gan'on eh, may kakayahan naman kami, 'di porke babae eh, mahina, hindi ba? Mga nanay kami. Marami kaming ginagawa sa pang-araw-araw na buhay. Tumutulong kami sa pamilya namin. Nagpapalaki kami ng mga anak," she added.
Encinas-Franco advised the survey laggards to focus instead on improving their campaign messaging."Sa akin siguro,pagbutihin na lang nila 'yung kampanya nila.Tutal malapit naman na 'tong matapos, kung talagang itutuloy nila 'yung laban.Parang nasayang 'ung efforts nila kahapon"
Encinas-Franco said it is unfortunate Marcos Jr. continues to enjoy a comfortable survey lead due to massive online disinformation that whitewashed the family’s history since the dictatorship’s downfall.
"'Yung disinformation, di lang naman napapamahak mga kandidato. Ang napapahamak, demokrasya natin. Kasi, ano 'yung katotohanan? 'Yun ang danger sa disinformation at fake news, na kalat na kalat sa Facebook at Tiktok," she said.
She hoped the public will be free from the cave ("kweba") of disinformation on social media. She noted that Marcos’ support base comes from the youth, who believed the false information online because they were not educated about the atrocities of martial law.
In an ambush interview this morning in Surigao city, Isko Moreno defended his call for Robredo to withdraw. He bristled at criticisms from some parties who were turned off by a public show of his grievances. He denied he was carried away by his emotions. facebook.com/iskomorenodoma…
“It’s an honest call. When they were asking us since Day One, ‘withdraw Isko.’ Sa totoo lang, yan ang daing ng ordinaryong Pilipino. Kapag malaking tao ang nambu-bully, okay lang. Pag ang ordinaryong tao, nangatwiran, bastos o masama na," Moreno said.
He called it “social injustice” smaller candidates like him are not allowed to speak their minds. He said he was just giving Robredo a taste of her own medicine after her supporters last year urged him to back out, making the hashtag #WithdrawIsko trend as early as October.
He said supporters of Robredo are in an echo chamber while his campaign team go directly to the people in his sorties. Robredo’s campaign has been marked by a people's crusade initiated by her supporters, who come in packs to conduct house to house campaigns.
Isko:"There is a universe that they created for their own consumption and entertainment. They will always believe what they want to believe in.Selective ang paniniwala.Kaya ako naniniwala, talagang maraming silent majority na ayaw ng toxic, gusto na lang ng peace of mind."
“Kaya dumadaing 'yung ordinaryong Pilipino kasi nga masakit magsalita 'yung mga mapagmataas na tao na katulad nila, 'yung grupo nila. But, anyway, it’s not for me to demand. It’s just an opinion. Their opinion is as good as mine,” Moreno added.
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