Imee dodges questions about college degree claims anew

Administration Senate bet and Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos once again evaded journalists’ questions about her claims of having received degrees from two universities, both of which have said they have no records of her graduating.

During a campaign stop of the Hugpong ng Pagbabago in Parañaque on Wednesday, Marcos stopped for people wanting a selfie with her, but hurried to a van when reporters asked her for an interview.

Prior to that moment, reporters covering the campaign trail were informed that Marcos would be facing journalists for a few questions, but this did not materialize.

Marcos has claimed to have graduated cum laude from the University of the Philippines' College of Law and from Princeton University with honors. 

Both institutions have disputed her claim, with UP saying that there is no record of her graduating, with honors or not, and with Princeton also saying that Marcos has "falsely claimed" to have received a degree from the school.

In defending the HNP candidate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, the party's campaign manager, said that Marcos is qualified to be in the Senate, whether she has a college degree or not.

The 1987 Constitution does not list having a college degree as one of the requirements to be elected a senator. However, opposition candidates have stressed that the lack of a college degree is not the problem, but Marcos's apparent lying about it.

Duterte—whose defense of Marcos continued on Wednesday with her saying that "everybody lies"—also said that Marcos will be releasing an official statement about the matter. — BM, GMA News