黑料社

Updated 9:03 p.m., Feb. 23, 2019, adding more quotes

MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Former President Benigno Aquino III on Saturday called on voters disgruntled with the Duterte administration to pick senatorial candidates from the Otso Diretso slate in the May 2019 elections.

If candidates backed by President Rodrigo Duterte would win in the upcoming elections, it would send a signal that he was steering the country in the correct direction, Aquino warned during a program at the People Power Monument.

鈥淪aan ba tayo tutungo? Midterm elections: Pag bumoto ka sa ka-alyado ng administrasyon or 鈥榶ong mga inendorso nila, eh 鈥榙i sinabi mo na ring tama po lahat ng ginawa niyo. Ituloy po niyo, lalo pa niyong pa-igtingin,鈥� Aquino said.

[Where are we headed? Midterm elections: If you vote for allies of the administration or those whom they are endorsing, it鈥檚 like you鈥檙e saying that what they鈥檙e doing is right. So keep on doing it and give more effort to it.]

鈥淜ung hindi naman kayo sang-ayon, eh doon na tayo sa maliwanag. Dito diretso, Otso Diretso,鈥� he added.

[But if you鈥檙e not in agreement, then let鈥檚 choose what鈥檚 clear. This is straight, Otso Diretso.]

According to the former president, the Otso Diretso candidates are unlike others who would base their stand on mere popularity and convenience.

鈥淚tong walong ito, tumayo, haharapin lahat ng dapat harapin 鈥� hindi lang itong kampanyang ito, hindi lang sa araw ng bilangan, ang pinaka-importante po, 鈥榩ag pina-upo niyo sa pwesto,鈥� Aquino said.

[These eight candidates will stand firm, will face what has to be faced 鈥� not only in this campaign, not only in the day of counting ballots, but most important, when you put them in office.]

鈥淚to hong mga 鈥榯o hindi ho kawayan: 鈥楿y, dito ang ihip, dito muna tayo. Uy, nandoon naman, doon naman tayo鈥�,鈥� he added.

[These candidates are not like bamboo: 鈥楬ey, the wind is blowing this way, let鈥檚 bend this way. Hey, it鈥檚 blowing that way, let鈥檚 bend that way.]

At the program, Aquino raised the hands the Otso Diretso senatorial bets 鈥� former Deputy Speaker Erin Ta帽ada, Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, human rights lawyer Jose Manuel 鈥淐hel鈥� Diokno, former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, and Sen. Bam Aquino as an endorsement.

Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal left earlier for another engagement, while former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas skipped the event to take care of his newborn twins.

Aquino also took a swipe at candidates who were endorsed by the administration and yet have maintained independence, comparing them to the Otso Diretso slate whom he claimed were firm in denouncing the policies of the President.

鈥淗indi pwedeng i-endorso ka ng administrasyon tapos sasabihin mo: 鈥業endorso lang ako pero salungat ako sa ginagawa nila. Parang malabo yata. Tinanggap mo 鈥榶ong endorsement, ibig sabihin sang-ayon ka,鈥� he said.

[You can鈥檛 allow the administration to endorse you and then say: I was only endorsed, but I鈥檓 against what they鈥檙e doing. That sounds vague. If you accept the endorsement, it means you agree with them.]

鈥淪o kayo na ang magsabi. Pag talaga naman pong nanalo pa, talagang una kong sasabihin sa sarili ko: Ito na yata talaga 鈥榶ong fool me twice. Sobrang shame on us,鈥� he added.

[So it鈥檚 up to you. If they still win, I will be the first to say to myself: We鈥檝e been fooled twice situation. It鈥檚 really a shame on us.] /atm