‘Attacks’ on Hugpong bets just ‘painful truth’ – opposition

Opposition senatorial candidate Samira Gutoc-Tomawis. INQUIRER.net/Pathricia Ann V. Roxas

MANILA, Philippines — Otso Diretso senatorial candidates on Tuesday countered the claim of Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, founder of Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), that they were engaging in negative campaigning and politicking.

Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano underscored that voters deserve to know who the candidates were, what they did, and what they had done.

“Ang mga negatibong isyu na kinasasangkutan nila ay kailangang panagutan sa taumbayan. Kami sa Otso Diretso ay papanig lamang sa kung ano ang katotohanan at makatarungan para sa lahat,” he added in a joint statement with co-candidates in the Osto Diretso slate.

Marawi civic leader and peacebuilder Samira Gutoc meanwhile told Duterte-Carpio that telling the truth was not a form of negative campaigning or politicking.

“Hindi negative campaigning o pamumulitika ang pagsasabi ng totoo. Ma’am Sara, instead of accusing us of ‘politicking,’ bakit hindi na lang sagutin ang mga isyu?” Gutoc dared.

“Mali ba na may malalaking billboards ang ilan sa inyo? Mali ba na may nagpalabas ng biopic? Mali ba na may naakusahan sa inyo ng pagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan? O nasasaktan lamang marinig ang totoo? Instead of evading these questions, prove that we are wrong instead,” she added.

Pilo Hilbay, a lawyer seeking to institutionalize the conditional cash transfer program meanwhile chided the HNP-backed aspirants: “Masakit ang katotohanan, pero hindi ito negatibo.”

“Hindi paninira ang pagbatikos at pagsiwalat sa kabulukan, kawalan ng kakayahan, at pagiging kurakot ng ibang kandidato. Ang mga ito ay obligasyon ng bawat kandidatong nagnanais maglingkod nang malinis at mahusay,” Hilbay added.

Erin Tañada, who wants decent jobs for all Filipinos, said: “Simple lang naman. Kung ayaw nilang tawagin silang magnanakaw, eh di wag silang magnakaw. Hindi negative campaigning ang magsabi ng totoo.”

Gutoc also underscored that this election season was a “chance” to engage fellow candidates, as well as the public, in “meaningful debates that would lead to accountability, or at the very least, (the) revelation of the truth.”

Negative campaigning

On Monday, the regional party leader Duterte-Carpio said it would not engage in politicking against rivals and would instead focus on presenting its campaign platforms.

“It’s not my kind of politics na atakihin ‘yung kalaban. Ang sinasabi ko lagi doon sa mga candidates (namin), mag-focus tayo to present kung ano ‘yung track record, ‘yung individual track record at trabaho na track record at i-present kung ano ‘yung gagawin nila for the next three years,” she said during a campaign sortie in Laoag City.

READ: Hugpong slams Otso Diretso for negative campaigning

This came after the Otso Diretso coalition threw shade against some of the administration and HNP-backed senatorial bets who have been accused of corruption, as well as those who released films of their lives and banked on huge billboards.

READ: Otso Diretso bets throw shade vs competitors: ‘Hindi kami magnanakaw’

A movie starring actor Robin Padilla as Former Bureau of Corrections Chief Ronald Dela Rosa, another senatorial candidate, was released two weeks before the start of the 90-day campaign period.

Senatorial candidates Jinggoy Estrada, and Bong Revilla Jr., were accused of involvement in the multi-billion pork barrel scam while former Ilocos Norte governor Imee Marcos’ family has been accused of stashing billions of ill-gotten wealth.

READ: Sara undaunted by President’s withdrawal of support for Bong, Jinggoy

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier did not include Estrada from his 11-man senatorial slate after the former senator’s request for endorsement came “too late.” /cbb

READ: Duterte drops Jinggoy from admin Senate slate

READ: Duterte: Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Revilla request for endorsement came too late

READ: Duterte endorses Senate bid of 5 PDP-Laban bets, 7 guest candidates

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