Kiko dares HNP bets to air stance on honesty issue

Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines — Otso Diretso campaign manager Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Thursday dared Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) candidates to air their stand after HNP founding chair Sara Duterte-Carpio downplayed honesty as a non-issue this election season.

On Wednesday night, the presidential daughter said: “Walang isang kandidato d’yan na hindi nagsisinungaling kaya hindi dapat nagiging issue ang honesty ngayon.”

(Not one of the candidates out there is not telling a lie so honesty should not be an issue here.)

READ: Sara Duterte: Honesty not an issue for Bong Go

Duterte-Carpio then tagged Otso Diretso candidate and Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano as an example of a “lying” contender when he accused former presidential aide Bong Go of spending taxpayers’ money after T-shirts printed with Go’s name and image were distributed to barangay officials during a League of Barangays convention last month.

READ: Sara Duterte: Alejano lying on accusation vs Bong Go

READ: As poll bets trade barbs, Sara Duterte says ‘Everybody lies’

Pangilinan called on the public to reject this view, arguing that the Davao mayor’s statement “justifies dishonesty in public office.”

The HNP candidates, he added, should be asked whether or not they support this view so voters can decide who among the candidates they can trust with their votes.

“Sino sa kanila ang sumasangayon na hindi dapat maging issue ang pagiging tapat at totoo para makapasya ng maayos ang ating mga botante kung sino ang maaari nilang pagkatiwalaan sa kanilang boto?” the lawmaker said.

(Who among them agree that being honest and truthful should not be an issue, so that our voters can decide who would they put their trust into?) /jpv

READ: Alejano hits back at Sara Duterte over lying