Palace: Marcos interview aired same day as Comelec debate not special treatment

Malacañang on Tuesday denied giving special treatment to former Senator and presidential bet Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. when the latter was interviewed on state-run PTV at the same time as the Commission on Elections' (Comelec's) Presidential debate that Marcos skipped.

"It was an organizational, management decision of PTV to air it (interview with Marcos) at 6 p.m. Two days before, [Manila] Mayor Isko Moreno was scheduled for an interview," acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar said.

"The Chatroom [interview aired over PTV] is objective," Andanar added.

Likewise, Andanar said that the PTV leadership had the authority to determine when the interviews on presidential bets would be aired.

"I give the heads of agency elbow room to manage their affairs. I give it to them in explaining the logic, rationale of airing the interview an hour before the Comelec debate," Andanar said.

In addition, Andanar said the state-run broadcasting station had similarly interviewed presidential bets Senator Manny Pacquiao and labor leader Leody de Guzman.

An invitation had also been extended to opposition standard-bearer Vice President Leni Robredo.

"We have also scheduled Vice President Robredo [to be interviewed]," Andanar said.

"We are also flexible as to the location preferable to the candidates, if it is in their headquarters, as long as it is within Metro Manila, because we know that it is hard to get a time with them because they are busy with campaigning," Andanar added. — DVM, GMA News