DO not expect honesty and good governance if you voted for a thief.
PROMDI Party presidential candidate Senator Manny Pacquiao issued these cautionary words to 67.5 million registered voters who will pick the country’s new set of national and local leaders in less than two months.
The retired eight-division boxing champ said the ongoing campaign is an excellent opportunity for the voting public to screen the candidates who are courting their support come election day.
He said the demeanor exhibited by the candidates in addressing issues thrown at them and defending their platforms and proposed solutions in an adversarial process like a public debate affords voters the chance to scrutinize each aspirant.
Therefore, Filipinos should not expect any accountability or demand good governance from candidates who avoid public debates.
Pacquiao explained that by refusing to engage their opponents, such candidates are already signaling they intend to do whatever they please and act with impunity without regard for any accountability.
He warned that voters can expect an unsympathetic government “because they were elected office without any clear commitment to serve the country’s best interest and uphold the welfare of all Filipinos.”
“These candidates are dangerous to the republic. If they get elected, they will have no qualms about plundering our country because they got elected even with the clear knowledge that they are thieves. How can the people demand accountability when they were the ones who voted them into office?” he said.
Pacquiao insisted that those who are running for public office, especially those seeking the presidency, should stop inventing excuses to avoid face-to-face debates, particularly those organized by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
He said the Filipino public deserves the chance to know not only the government platform of all those aspiring for public office but also get a glimpse of their character as leaders and as implementors of government policies.
The Comelec had earlier announced that nine of ten presidential bets have confirmed they intend to show up for the first presidential “Pilipinas Debate” to be held tomorrow, March 19, at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City.
The lone holdout is former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. who, despite losing to Vice President Leni Robredo in 2016, is the current frontrunner based on surveys.
