Sen. Loren Legarda Monday challenged Liberal Party vice presidential bet Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II to a debate on pressing political issues.

Legarda, who runs as Nacionalista Party vice presidential candidate, issued the challenge at a campaign sortie last Saturday in Northern Samar.

Apparently irked by the black propaganda against her that are circulating in text messages, Legarda urged Roxas to face her in a public forum.

“If Mar Roxas wants to prove that he’s more fit than I am to be vice president, he should be ready to debate with me on issues,” Legarda said.

“It (black propaganda) is one of the oldest tricks in the book — making your opponent look bad so that you look good in comparison. But that’s not going to make him any good as a vice president. Or even a barangay chairman for that matter,” she claimed.

Legarda has been lagging behind Roxas in preferential surveys for vice president. In a radio interview, she claimed that the LP bet had offered her an “arrangement” in exchange for supporting him and LP presidential candidate Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

But Sen. Manuel Villar Jr.’s running mate claimed Roxas seems to be unable to speak for himself and relies on other people to blow his horn for him.

“You got it straight from the horse’s mouth. Mar Roxas himself admits that he did ask me if I would withdraw from the vice presidential race and support him and Noynoy Aquino,” Legarda pointed out.

“Unfortunately, he remembers making a query, as he put it, but not an offer. He’s got a conveniently selective memory and a twisted interpretation of facts,” she alleged, citing a news report that Roxas admitted Legarda’s quip but says it was meant as a query.

“So why is (Liberal Party spokesman) Chito Gascon saying that I’m getting so desperate that I’ve resorted to mudslinging?” Legarda asked.

“Since when has telling the truth become mudslinging? I’m a journalist. I’m not used to making up facts. Roxas remembers asking me the query,” she said.