Pacquiao: Face your foes like a man

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SEN. Emmanuel Pacquiao yesterday took a dig at opponents who refuse to participate in debates with other presidential aspirants, saying they cannot be trusted in public office.

The former boxing champ who is running under PROMDI party said no presidential bet should duck the opportunity to face other candidates and be challenged on his/her platform of governance.

“Kapag ganyan na umiiwas sa mga face-to-face debate, dapat alam na ng taumbayan na hindi sila dapat pagkatiwalaan. (When a candidate is doing all he can to dodge debates, the voters should know he is not worthy of their trust.) You cannot promise to unite the nation if you cannot even have the guts to face your foes like a man,” Pacquiao said.

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He likened those who avoid debates to a thief who maintains his innocence of the crime while refusing to take a polygraph test.

His statement comes after CNN Philippines said former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos and his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, have declined attendance to debates it will host at the end of the month. Marcos’ camp said there was a conflict in schedule.

Marcos has declined to participate in other forums organized by news organizations. He has agreed to attend a debate scheduled last night, hosted by the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) owned by pastor Apollo Quiboloy who recently endorsed him and Duterte. Most of the presidential candidates are not appearing in the SMNI event.

Pacquiao expressed readiness to engage any of his opponents, saying it affords the public a glimpse of how a candidate conducts himself under stressful conditions.

“Ako wala akong kinakatakutan kahit sinasabi nila na wala raw akong kakayahang mamuno. (I don’t fear anything even if they keep accusing me that I do not have what it takes to lead.) I’m ready to explain my programs to the people and be subjected to a face-to-face public scrutiny. Hindi ako natatakot dahil malinaw ang aking plano at malinis ang aking harangarin para sa bayan (I am confident about my platform and spotless record of service),” he said.

Pacquiao also asked the Commission on Elections, the National Movement for Free Elections and other non-partisan groups to organize a face-to-face debate for all presidential bets.

The Comelec has said it is organizing debates for both presidential and vice presidential candidates, and the first might be held next month. It is also holding “E-rallies” for candidates.

Pacquiao dared all the other aspirants to submit themselves to questions from opponents and the public so they can prove their fitness for the post they are seeking.

“I’m challenging my fellow presidential candidates: Let us have a face-to-face debate. Mas mabuti para sa bayan na tayo ay magharap-harap upang ibahagi ang ating mga posisyon tungkol sa mga pangunahing isyung pambayan. Iba pa rin po kapag face-to-face ang debate dahil dito natin malalaman kung sino ang tunay na tapat at sino ang nagpapanggap (It would be in the best interest of the nation if we can present our plans and stands on the most pressing issues facing the country besides giving the electorate a chance to judge for themselves who is a genuine public servant and who are just pretending),” he said.

SURVEYS

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said a comparison of the latest pre-election surveys of Pulse Asia and the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed that the voter preference for Marcos has actually gone down.

Sotto said he compared Pulse’s January 19 to 24 survey against that of the SWS’ January 28 to 31 survey, which he said showed Marcos’ rating went down by at least 10 percentage points.

The Pulse survey released this week showed Marcos was preferred by 60 percent of its respondents, while in the SWS survey, Marcos was the choice of 50 percent of the respondents.

The Pulse survey showed Vice President Leni Robredo following Marcos, with 16 percent preference, then Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, both with 8 percent. Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Sotto’s presidential candidate, was in fifth place with only 4 percent.

The SWS survey, on the other hand, showed Robredo also in second place with 19 percent, Pacquiao and Moreno tied, with 11 percent each, and Lacson with 6 percent.

Sotto said comparing the two surveys, Marcos’ rating went down by 10 percent, 3 percent increase for Robredo, Pacquiao, and Moreno; and 2 percent increase for Lacson.

Sotto said the figures are a “marked improvement” for all the other presidential aspirants.

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“…Latest na survey ang SWS, very interesting. Ako pagdating sa survey I read it, tinitignan namin, pinag-aaralan ko mabuti sa area na ganito. It was a marked improvement — from Pulse Asia of January 19 against January 28 survey of SWS (The latest SWS survey is very interesting. We study each survey and it was a marked improvement — from Pulse Asia of January 19 against the January 28 survey of SWS),” Sotto said in a chance interview in Parañaque City where he went without Lacson to woo voters and solicit the support of Mayor Edwin Olivarez, the PDP-Laban Cusi faction vice president for the National Capital Region. — With Raymond Africa

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