Casiño dismayed over low level of campaigning

MANILA, Philippines - Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño expressed dismay over what he said was the low level of campaigning of senatorial candidates who remain engrossed with the political bickering of leaders of the Liberal Party (LP) and the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) and their “artificial coalitions.”

Casiño, senatorial candidate of the militant Makabayan coalition, said he was tired of listening to his fellow candidates bicker about the attendance of certain candidates in campaign sorties while the public has not heard of their platform of government.

“Maybe they (LP and UNA senatorial candidates) really can’t say anything about their respective campaign platforms so they just make up stories,” Casiño said in a statement.

“It’s as if it’s President Aquino and Vice President (Jejomar) Binay, or (Navotas City Rep.) Toby Tiangco and (Sen.) Frank Drilon who are the ones running for the Senate,” he said.

Binay heads the UNA while Aquino leads the LP-led administration coalition Team PNoy. Tiangco is the spokesman and secretary-general of UNA while Drilon is the LP campaign manager.

Casiño urged the public to be more critical and probing in terms of political news. He said he is extremely grateful for the debates organized by schools and media networks but hopes the issues tackled could be integrated in everyday news to force candidates to bare their real interests and stand on issues.