Presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. gave a brief answer to the allegation that the only reason he is running for President of the country is to prevent his family from paying estate taxes.
It will be recalled that the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is already charging the Marcoses more than P200 billion in estate taxes.
Presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Pacquiao had earlier said that Marcos would only use his position if he won to avoid being taxed.
“Gustong gusto nila makabalik bakit? Unang-una abswelto sila sa ano nila sa gobyerno sa taxes, pangalawa ito ang talagang nakikita kong goal pag sila nabalik sa power, yung mga nakadispute na ari-arian, gold deposit, lahat yan malilinis na yan, pwede na matransfer sa sariling account nila sa personal account nila,” Pacquiao said in an ambush interview with the media.
“Not very much,” was Marcos’ short response in an ambush interview with ABS-CBN news.
Marcos’ camp has previously insisted that the issue of estate taxes is only being used in politics in this election.
In a statement, Atty Vic Rodriguez, Marcos’ spokesperson, said that the case regarding estate taxes is still in court.
Marcos Jr. denies wanting to be President to evade tax debt
“It’s not a coincidence that rivals of presidential frontrunner Bongbong Marcos are raising this matter in unison a few weeks before the elections; sadly, this is all about politics,” said Rodriguez.
Meanwhile, the Uniteam ended its visit to Mindanao this week with a campaign rally in Bukidnon, where Marcos was endorsed by the provincial governor Jose Maria Zubiri Jr.
Marcos Jr. was not with his running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, who was touring today in Bataan and Antipolo, Rizal.
Supporters filled the capitol grounds in Malaybalay Bukidnon.
In the 2016 elections, President Duterte won in Bukidnon, but when it came to the vice presidential race, Leni Robredo led the province.
Robredo got 39.58% of the total vote of Bukidnon, or equivalent to 218,585, and Marcos came in second with 131,468 or 23.80 percent.
According to the Commission on Elections, there are 944,838 registered voters in the province in the upcoming elections.
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