Voters warned on candidates bad for Senate
Sen. Joel Villanueva on Tuesday called on voters to make intelligent decisions when they cast their ballots and not choose candidates who could potentially destroy the Senate, which he described as the “last bastion of democracy.”
“All I’m saying is that the voting public has to be careful especially in the coming elections, particularly when it comes to the Senate,” Villanueva told reporters.
Bothered
“Because there are many who could destroy the reputation of the Senate,” Villanueva added.
Villanueva, who is on his first term as senator, won in 2016 and placed second in the race.
According to the senator, he trusted the voting public to be intelligent enough to make wise decisions, but he could not help but be bothered by some of the candidates who Villanueva believed were not qualified.
“It’s just annoying that there are those who bring so much fake news,” Villanueva said.
“Little things like saying that the President has signed something even when he has not,” he said.
Substantial
Villanueva said many people were aware of how important the Senate was, and he wanted it to have members with substance.
“I think it bears so much weight that the new set of senators would be helpful in nation-building,” Villanueva said.
He said a qualified candidate was “someone from whom you would get something substantial in an interview.”
“Every member of the Senate should have something to contribute and should not just be a seat filler,” Villanueva said.
Its composition would weigh heavy on the independence of the chamber, he added.
Deep thoughts
“For me this is the most solid institution, the last bastion of democracy,” he said.
Villanueva said he would not appeal to unqualified candidates to withdraw their candidacies but would ask them to think about what they could really bring to the Senate.
He said these candidates should think about whether they could actually deliver what they promised.
If these candidates know they could not deliver and have no track record to back up their promises, then they should be true to themselves, Villanueva said.
Villanueva refused to identify who he was referring to, but the current crop of senators included personalities who rose to fame through show business, sports or relationship with more famous parents.
Some candidates also included entertainers, individuals facing plunder cases and crackpots claiming they were destined to become senators.
