Poe: Gov’t must be accountable, not bully its citizens

Presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe. FILE PHOTO

While the government must ensure that the people will not live in fear, it should not “bully” its citizens and should not instill fear among them, presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe has said.

“Bakit natin isusuko ang ating kalayaan na mabuhay nang hindi takot? Mga kababayan, ang gobyerno ang dapat matakot sa inyo at hindi kayo ang dapat matakot sa gobyerno. Dapat kami ang mananagot sa inyo, hindi namin kayo dapat binu-bully,” Poe said during a rally in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan Thursday night.

(Why would we give up our freedom to live without fear? My countrymen, the government should fear its people, not the other way around. We must be accountable to you and we must not bully you.)

The senator, who vowed to address poverty in her campaign against criminality, said violence should not be used to fight violence.

READ: Poe: We need justice, not violence

“Ayoko namang basta sabihin ‘papatayin ko,’ sapagkat kung nagkamali at isang buhay na inosente ang nawala, maghihigantihan tayong lahat. Hindi na ‘yan matatapos at nakakatakot ‘yan,” she said.

(I don’t want to say that I would kill [someone] because if it turns out wrong and an innocent life has been taken, we would be vindictive. That is a never-ending cycle and it is frightening.)

READ: Poe: Killing is not always the solution

“Pero maniwala kayo, ‘pag gumawa kayo ng kalokohan sa aking gobyerno, kaibigan man kita o kaaway, ipapakulong kita (But believe me, if you commit a wrongdoing in my government, whether you are a friend or foe, I will send you to jail),” she said.

In her campaign sorties across the country, Poe has often highlighted the strength and compassion of women leaders like her.

She noted that while she may be a neophyte senator, she investigated top military and police officials, and even President Bengino Aquino III, as chair of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs.

“Kaya mga kababayan, huwag kayong mag-alinlangan. Totoo, babae ako, pero ang mga babae na naririto ay isang testigo na magsasabi na kaya nating lumaban, kaya nating magsakripisyo para sa ating pananagutan at para sa ating mga mahal sa buhay,” she said.

(My countrymen, don’t have doubts. Yes, I am a woman but women here would testify that I can fight and sacrifice for my responsibilites and for my loved ones.)

Poe said she was also taught well by two of the kindest and bravest people she knew, her adoptive parents and movie icons, the late action king Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ) and veteran actress Susan Roces.

She said her father taught her to fight for what is right but never to be arrogant while Roces, though gentle and prayerful, was among the first to condemn the Arroyo administration when FPJ lost in the 2004 presidential elections that was marred by fraud.

“Mga kababayan, wala akong pinagmanahang duwag, kaya huwag kayong matakot na hindi ko kayo kayang protektahan (My countrymen, being a coward doesn’t run in my family, don’t fear that I could not protect you),” the senator added.

Poe is faced with the tough-talking Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, her closest rival in the May 2016 presidential race. RAM