BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – Truth over lies. Courage over cowardice.
These were things that Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan hoped for during the 2022 polls where he is seeking the Vice Presidential seat as running mate of Vice President Leni Robredo.
The senator also noted that the current government has been defined by governance that is not responsive to its people, inept, and populist.
He cited reports of the country being the last to bounce back among nations in the Asia-Pacific, as well as having the longest Martial Law in Marawi when ISIS-linked militants clashed with government troopers in 2017.
Pangilinan added that the government’s current approach to the COVID response is through the military approach, peppered with a lot of cussing (“maanghang na salita”).
He also cited the thousands that were killed during Duterte’s drug war, as well as the stifling of democratic processes including the non-renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise, as well as threats on critics.
Even his wife, singer Sharon Cuneta and daughter Frankie were not spared from rape and death threats.
