Bongbong Marcos declares bid for vice presidency in 2016

(Updated 8:41 p.m.) Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday night declared that he was also joining the vice presidential race in 2016.

"I have decided to run for Vice President in the May 2016 elections," Marcos said in a statement.

"I flew to Davao City on Wednesday and consulted with Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. He was gracious enough to promise me his support should I decide to run for Vice President. I too will support Mayor Duterte if and when he runs for President," he added.

Marcos discounted running alongside opposition leader Vice President Jejomar Binay.

"Regarding Vice President Jejomar Binay, I was invited to be his Vice-Presidential candidate. There were initial talks between our supporters," Marcos said.

"But any team up with the Vice President must be rooted on a shared vision for our country, a common platform of government as well as political perspectives. Unfortunately it would be difficult for me to tame our political differences," he added.

Sought for comment as regards Marcos' statement, Duterte's political adviser Lito Banayo said the Davao City mayor had none.

"Mayor Duterte has yet to make a decision on whether he is running for president. Whatever that decision will be, he will formally announce in due time, which is quite soon," Banayo said.

"Meanwhile, he cannot comment on expressions of intent by those who seek to run for VP," he added.

GMA News Online is trying to get Binay's reaction to Marcos' announcement as of posting time.

Marcos made the announcement following previous announcements made by his colleagues Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Antonio Trillanes IV, fellow members at the Nacionalista Party.

Earlier in the day, the Liberal Party introduced its vice presidential bet, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo.

Senator Gregorio Honasan has also said that he would accept if his party, the United Nationalist Alliance, offered him the vice presidential draft.

Senator Francis Escudero was the first to declare his intention to run for vice president, in an announcement following that of presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe.

"With Senator Bongbong Marcos joining the list of those seeking higher office, I am optimistic that discussions on issues that matter most to Filipinos will be vibrant and robust," Escudero said in a text message.

"This campaign season should afford the people the opportunity to scrutinize the platform of each candidate and guide them in choosing what and who is best for the country. I wish him well," he added.

Banish politics of personality

Marcos, the son and namesake of former President Ferdinand Marcos, called for an end to personality-based politics.

Despite its members being elected to government positions even after the Edsa Revolution in 1986,  the Marcos family continues to be heavily criticized for the human rights violations and alleged corruption committed under the late former dictator's 21-year regime.

"For one thing, I believe that elected officials have an obligation to our people to help change the course of our nation's history by banishing the politics of personality which to me is one of the primary causes why our country today has become a soft state where the rich become richer, the poor become poorer, graft and corruption is endemic, the drug menace pervades, injustice is the norm and government incompetence is accepted," Marcos said.

"Consequently, I have decided to put my political fortune in the hands of the Filipino people. I humbly ask them to judge whether or not I am worthy of their trust to be Vice President on the strength of my performance as a public servant in the last 26 years: first as former Vice Governor and Governor of Ilocos Norte, then as Representative of the 2nd District of Ilocos Norte and, finally, as Senator of the country," he added.

No to Marcos, militant group says

Renato Reyes, the secretary-general of the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, said Filipinos would not allow "the rehabilitation of the Marcoses."

"Senator Marcos' vice presidential run is another step towards airbrushing the bloody record of the Marcos dictatorship," Reyes said in a statement.

"Imelda Marcos makes no secret of her desire to return to Malacañang. In the name of the thousands killed, disappeared, tortured and imprisoned during the dictatorship, we say, 'No'," he added.

The Bantayog ng mga Bayani Foundation has asked Marcos in an open letter to apologize for his father's human rights abuses during Martial Law.

Marcos, however, indicated that his family had nothing to apologize for.
 
''Will I say sorry for the thousands and thousands of kilometers that were built? Will I say sorry for the agricultural policy that brought us to self-sufficiency in rice? Will I say sorry for the power generation? Will I say sorry for the highest literacy rate in Asia? What am I to say?" Marcos said. —Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/NB, GMA News