Sara Duterte: Honesty not an issue for Bong Go

A candidate’s “honesty” should not be a campaign issue in the May elections, Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) chair and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte said in response to allegations that former presidential aide Bong Go had used public funds for his senatorial run.

“All candidates have been telling lies, that’s why honesty should not be an issue,” Duterte told reporters after leading an HNP campaign rally in Parañaque City on Wednesday.

Magdalo Rep. and senatorial contender Gary Alejano of the opposition Otso Diretso had accused Go of spending taxpayer money for T-shirts printed with Go’s name and image, which were distributed to village officials during a League of Barangays convention last month.

“The (opposition candidates) have been questioning the honesty of a candidate being supported by HNP,” Duterte said, apparently referring to Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, whose claims of graduating from Princeton University and the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Law were denied by representatives of both institutions.

Netizens, including Otso Diretso candidates and supporters, called out Marcos for falsifying her school records.

“They are all liars. Everyone in this world are liars,” Duterte said of the Otso Diretso candidates. —With a report by Jaymee T. Gamil