Escudero to voters: Respect ‘essence of democracy’

Vice presidential candidate Senator Chiz Escudero with his wife Heart Evangelista-Escudero vote for the 2016 National and Local Election early in the morning at Buhatan Elementary School, Sorsogon province on May 9, 2016, Monday. MARK ALVIC ESPLANA / INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON.

SORSOGON CITY, Philippines – After casting his vote at the Buhatan Elementary School in this capital city of Sorsogon province early Monday, Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero said he would leave his fate up to God and accept the will of the people.

Escudero and his wife, actress Heart Evangelista, cast their votes at 6:10 a.m., minutes after the polling precincts opened.

“Thy will be done. Kung ano ang ipagkaloob ng Diyos, yun ang mangyayari sa lahat ng tumatakbo, doon kami (Whatever God gives us, that will be the fate of all candidates. We will accept that),” Escudero, the running mate of Sen. Grace Poe, told reporters here.

He said his group has polls watchers and lawyers in different polling precincts around the country to make sure that their votes would be counted and ensure that the conduct of the elections is clean.

“Sapat naman ang latag namin, ginawa namin ang lahat para matiyak na malinis at mapayapa ang election at higit pa doon ay dapat kapani-paniwala kung ano man ang husga ng ating kabababayan, maparapat at dapat tanggapin (We have enough people to watch our votes. We did everything to ensure clean and peaceful elections. More than anything, we must ensure that the results of the elections, whatever these may be, are credible and our people would accept these,” Escudero said.

READ: Escudero leaves everything up to God

He said he was “satisfied” with the voting process, noting that the receipt issued by the vote counting machine reflected his choices.

Escudero appealed to voters to respect the results of the elections because this is the essence of democracy.

Asked what he would do the rest of the day, Escudero said he would sleep and rest to regain his energy following a grueling campaign.

Evangelista, who cast her vote for the first time in her husband’s home province of Sorsogon, said being a wife of a politician in the midst of an important election is an exciting and pressure-filled experience.

“Nakaka-pressure. At the end of the day, if ano ibigay ng Diyos, doon kami masaya, truly and sincerely (We will be happy with whatever the Lord gives us, truly and sincerely),” she said. CDG