Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson presides over a hybrid public hearing in the Senate.
Senate PRIB file photo / Joseph Vidal
MANILA, Philippines — Senator and presidential aspirant Panfilo “Ping” Lacson reminded voters that accepting any form of bribes from candidates in exchange for votes in the 2022 national and local elections can lead to miserable lives and bad governance.
“Iniisip nila out of desperation, ‘tama na ito, for one week I can survive with P2,000 to P3,000′ but not knowing that three or six years hence, ang living condition, naroon ang misery ng buhay,” said Lacson at a lunch with local government officials and local business leaders in Negros Oriental on Saturday.
(They think out of desperation, ‘this is enough, for one week I can survive with P2,000 to P3,000’ not knowing that in three or six years they will be stuck living miserable lives.)
Lacson further warned that should wrong candidates win because of vote-buying, they might not only fail to address the country’s problems but also worsen them.
He then called on all Filipinos who are eligible to vote to “wake up to the reality” and to make a difference for the next six years by choosing the right leader.
“It’s all up to you, it’s all up to us. We should choose wisely our next leaders,” he stressed.
According to Lacson, there is currently a lack of good governance at present, as the budget is being misused instead of going to priority programs such as the full implementation of the Universal Health Care Act.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections has already reminded the public that vote buying is an election offense “regardless of financial situation or noble intentions.”
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