Vice President Sara Duterte urged the voters on Monday to think carefully before voting a partylist under the Makabayan Bloc.
Makabayan is a political coalition of eight Philippine progressive parties, including Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela, ACT Teachers and Kabataan.
In a live press conference held in Bacolod City, the vice president reminded the public that it is not a good image for a partylist whose nominee is a convicted child abuser.
The vice president was referring to former Bayan Muna Partylist Rep. Satur Ocampo and incumbent ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro who were found guilty of child abuse by a court in Tagum City, Davao del Norte in July this year.
“Sa mga botante pag-isipan ninyo kung susuportahan ninyo yang ACT Partylist kasi kahit na convicted na sa child abuse yung kanilang nominee ay hindi pa rin nila pinapalitan. Hindi tama na isang grupo ng teachers ang kanilang nominee ay convicted with the crime of child abuse. Pag-isipan ninyong mabuti yan bago kayo bumuto ng partylist. Sa iba namang Makabayan Bloc na partylist ilang beses na inulit ulit ng National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) kung ano yung connection nila sa Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF),” Duterte said.
Duterte also reminded the public not to trust the endorsement of a person or famous personalities.
“Paalala ko sa ating mga botante na kilatisin nila yung mga kandidato sa kanilang lugar, tingnan nila kung ano yung nagawa at sinabi at natupad ba o binigay ba yung mga sinabi nung kandidato at syempre ikompara nila ang iba’t ibang mga kandidato nila. Huwag silang maniwala sa endorsement lang ng isang tao o sikat na personalidad at dapat kilatisin talaga nga mga botante ang kanilang mga kandidato and that way mapanigurado natin na nananalo at napipili talaga yung mga karapat dapat na umupo sa mga puwesto,” she said.
