Critics slam Duterte’s pledge to dole out cash during campaign

President Duterte during the PDP-Laban national assembly in Pampanga. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTOS

MANILA, Philippines — Critics on Monday slammed President Rodrigo Duterte’s pledge to his party mates that he will go around the country to campaign for them, especially those seeking reelection, and that he will bring “sacks full of cash.”

Opposition Sen. Leila de Lima wondered whether Duterte intends to use the trillions of loans his administration has obtained to ensure the victory of his allies in the 2022 elections, instead of using it for COVID-19 response.

“He keeps saying the government has run out of funds for its pandemic response, during which he, however, has been even missing in action. But in the [election] campaign, he has sacks full of cash, and would even go around,” she said.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan said it would be up to the Filipino voters to decide whether or not they would support politicians who want only to dispense cash during the times when millions of the country’s citizens suffer from hunger, poverty, and severe crisis due to the calamities.

“What is even sadder is that in the end, voters end up only getting empty sacks,” he said.

The senators were reacting to a statement from Duterte while addressing members of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) during the controversial national assembly at Clark Freeport in Pampanga on Saturday.

Cash in sacks

“Those running for reelection, I will campaign for you, from one city to another. That is true. Those of you who are running, I will commit to you. I will really go from one city to another, one province to another to campaign for you. And I will bring lots of cash — in sacks, if possible,” the president said.

The president’s remarks were met with raucous cheers and applause from the audience.

But a Makabayan lawmaker lambasted the president’s “boastful remarks” that he would have a lot of money to back candidates of the ruling party next year.

“They claim to have no funds for aid for our poor and hungry countrymen, but they have a lot of money for politics, elections, and vote-buying,” Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate said in a statement.

The lawmaker noted that the President has control over “huge chunks of funds” under his office, such as confidential and intelligence funds, unobligated funds under the Bayanihan 1 and 2 laws, and funds of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.