MANILA, Philippines — Despite requests for comment on issues involving other candidates, Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno sustained his offensive against his rival Vice President Leni Robredo and her supporters.
On the sidelines of Aksyon’s campaign rally in Angono, Rizal last Thursday, Moreno once again hit Robredo and her so-called “yellow” and “pink” supporters for calling him to withdraw his candidacy, even calling them bullies and matapobre or arrogant.
He vowed to fight the “yellow” and “pink” “bullies,” including Robredo. He also criticized Robredo and her followers for alleged mudslinging.
“My opinion cannot be taken away,” he said, adding that the people are mad at the yellow and pink because they say hurtful things.
#WithdrawIsko
Moreno’s apparent disgust of Robredo could have been pent up since last year when the #WithdrawIsko became a trending topic on Twitter, surmised his vice presidential candidate Dr. Willie Ong.
“After a few days, Leni declared she is running and that’s no problem for me. It’s just that after her declaration, #WithdrawIsko trended on Twitter. They are asking us to withdraw but we were the first to declare. It’s just like a restaurant when a newcomer arrives they tell you, make way, withdraw,” Ong said in a mix of English and Filipino.
According to earlier reports, #WithdrawIsko became a trending topic on Twitter a day before Robredo formally submitted her candidacy for president. At the same time, Moreno was accused of being a “secret candidate” of President Duterte.
This pushed Moreno to criticize Robredo, even calling her a “fake leader with a fake color” after she used pink as her campaign color despite being the chairman of the Liberal Party, known for using yellow. Robredo is running as an independent candidate.
Seize Marcos bank accounts
Moreno’s camp also appealed to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to seize bank accounts connected to the estate of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. so his hefty estate tax debt would be settled.
“The tax agency led by BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay should do its job of collecting the Marcos estate’s tax liabilities, to the point of garnishing or capturing related bank accounts,” wrote Aksyon Demokratiko chairman Ernesto Ramel Jr.
“We in Aksyon Demokratiko requests the BIR and its Commissioner to immediately and continuously implement collection efforts, whether civil or criminal manner of collection, including distraint/garnishing of the bank accounts relating to the estate of the late dictator Marcos Sr.,” he said in his letter last Thursday.
Aksyon Demokratiko, founded by the late senator Raul Roco, has been persistent in calling out the Marcoses to pay their tax debt, asserting the Supreme Court has upheld its decision ordering them to pay originally P23 billion worth of estate tax in 1997.