Pacquiao wary of candidates who skip debates: Nakakatakot baka magnakaw

Presidential candidate Senator Manny Pacquiao on Friday said he was wary of candidates who dodge debates, expressing fear of what they might do if they won in Eleksyon 2022.

Pacquiao made the remark when asked if he shared the opinion of vice presidential candidate Walden Bello as regards survey "frontrunners" presidential bet Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his running mate Sara Duterte.

The Marcos-Duterte tandem had been leading in the surveys but skipped last weekend's debates.

"Debate pa lang natatakot na. Paano 'pag nanalo ka na? Nakakatakot baka magnakaw naman," Pacquiao said at a media briefing in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

(They are already afraid in a debate, how much more if they win in the elections? It is frightening, they might steal.)

GMA News Online has sought comment from Marcos and Duterte. Their side will be published as soon as it is received. 

Bello at the vice presidential debate on Saturday called Marcos and Duterte cowards for turning down invitations to the debate.

On Monday, Bello said candidates who skip debates like the tandem could be "hiding something."

Marcos' spokesperson, Atty. Vic Rodriguez, said they respected Bello's right to air his opinion even though it was "nonsense."

"Karapatan naman nila 'yan na hindi mag-attend ng debate. Pero ang taong bayan kasi gusto nilang malaman 'yung plataporma mo, 'yung plano mo sa kanila, 'yung plano mo sa taong bayan, sa bansa, kung ano 'yung kinabukasan," Pacquiao said.

(They have the right not to attend the debate. But the people want to know their platforms, your plans for them, your plan for the people, for the country, or what the future holds.)

"Kasi at the end of the day kung failure 'yung administration niya tapos maghanap ka ng accomplishment, sabihin niya 'Bakit nangako ba ako sa inyo?' ... Pwede niya sabihin, 'Kaya nga hindi ako nag-attend ng debate eh, kasi wala akong balak na gawin ito, gawin 'yan," he added.

(Because at the end of the day if his administration fail and then people would look for an accomplishment, he could say 'Why, did I promise anything to you?'... He could say, 'That's why I didn't attend the debate, because I have no intention of doing this, doing that.)

Pacquiao said he debates were good as they were recorded and could be reviewed to hold the candidates accountable if they became elected officials of the country. —NB, GMA News