MANILA — The Philippines can not afford another Marcos presidency, vice presidential aspirant and House Deputy Speaker Lito Atenza said on Monday.

Atienza, the running mate of presidential candidate Sen. Manny Pacquiao, lauded President Rodrigo Duterte attacking the leadership capability of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong Marcos, Jr., the only son of the late dictator and namesake.

• Duterte says daughter Sara's running-mate Marcos is 'spoiled, weak leader'

Duterte, who is backing the 2022 presidential bid of his longtime aide, Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go, last Friday called Marcos Jr. a "spoiled" and "weak" leader even as the former senator is pursuing an election tandem with his daughter in Halalan 2022.

• Duterte's criticisms vs Bongbong Marcos could badly affect daughter's VP bid: analyst

Atienza said the previous Marcos administration failed to leave a good legacy to Filipinos.

“I have never been excited by a Marcos presidency again. Tama na 'yan. Twenty years na silang namuno eh. Hindi lamang 20 years, almost 21 years. Kaya kung sasabihing may gagawing mabuti, palagay ko eh dapat ginawa na, at dapat nagawa na,” Atienza said.

“Nung panahon ni Marcos, anuman ang tingnan, anuman ang saliksikin, nagpapakita ng katotohanan, naghirap ang Pilipino nung panahon ni Ferdinand Edralin Marcos, 1965 hanggang 1986," he added.

Atienza believes Duterte’s tirades against the younger Marcos will leave a dent in the latter's credibility.

The Dutertes are known to be friendly with the Marcoses. The President's father Vicente served in the Marcos cabinet.

In 2016, Duterte allowed the late dictator's burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani despite widespread protests.

Atienza said the Marcos family should just leave Philippine politics.

“Huwag nyo nang ipilit 'yung inyong pamumuno sapagkat natikman na namin eh, 21 years na kayong namuno. Martial law pa yung 14 na taon. Dictatorial government pa tayo. Walang check and balance, walang media, magsalita ka ng kontra, kulong ka. 'Wag nyo nang ipilit, manahimik na kayo,” he said.

The Marcos family has long sought to rebuild its image and has repeatedly denied allegations that it plundered state wealth while in power, estimated in 1987 at $10 billion.

PACQUIAO "AID" DISTRIBUTION

Atienza meanwhile lashed back at other political aspirants who criticized Pacquiao’s "aid" distribution activities, telling them to just follow suit and help the needy using their own money.

Pacquiao earlier drew flak after several videos showed he handed out cash to those who attended his political sortie in Batangas last week.

“Kung tingin niyo nakakatulong sa pulitika ni Manny 'yan, 'di gawin din ninyo … kung ayaw niyo pamigay din ninyo ang yaman ninyo,” Atienza said.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) earlier said that there may have been violations in Pacquiao's Batangas visit, where crowds trooped to several indoor locations to meet the world boxing icon.

Pacquiao has denied insinuations of vote-buying, saying he was doing it out of charity and that there was no election offense since he was using his personal money.

His spokesperson said last Tuesday he will continue to hand out cash aid to Filipinos in need as he travels around the Philippines in the run-up to the 2022 elections.

• Pacquiao to continue giving away cash ahead of 2022 elections, says spokesperson

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