Marcos camp denies Bongbong avoiding handshakes

The camp of presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Sunday said the former senator was not avoiding handshakes during the campaign, but only protecting his hand that has an infection.

Marcos’ spokesperson Atty. Vic Rodriguez made the remark following a video of Marcos seemingly shunning handshakes from supporters in Caloocan circulated on social media.

“Hindi umiiwas sa handshake si BBM, kundi iniiwas lamang [niya] ang kanyang kamay na nagkasugat sa braso malapit sa may pulso na tila nagka-impeksyon,” he said in a statement.

(Marcos does not avoid handshakes, but is only trying to protect a hand that has a wound that got infected.)

The BBM Media Bureau provided a photo of Marcos with the wound on his arm covered with a bandage.

Photo: BBM Media Bureau

Rodriguez then urged the public and supporters to avoid squeezing Marcos' hand for the meantime so the infection will not worsen and heal eventually.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec), through its Resolution 10372, prohibited Eleksyon 2022 candidates from shaking the hands of voters during the campaign period amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aside from handshakes, the Comelec Resolution stated that hugs, kisses, going arm-in-arm, or any action that involves physical contact among the candidate and their companions are also not allowed during motorcades.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez, however, said that the candidates can still appeal these guidelines.

“Tulad ng isang tunay na lider na naghahatid ng mensahe upang mapagkaisa ang bansa laban sa krisis na dulot ng pandemya ay hindi nya ito pinansin at patuloy siya sa pakisalamuha sa mga taong nagmamahal sa kanya at sa BBM-Sara UniTeam,” Rodriguez said.

(Like a true leader who delivers a message to unite the country against the crisis brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, Marcos ignores it and continues to interact with the people who love him and the BBM-Sara UniTeam.)

Marcos is running in the May 9 polls alongside vice presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. — DVM/BM, GMA News