Otso Diretso tells Hugpong bets: Telling the truth isn’t negative campaigning

MANILA, Philippines — Responding to claims by Duterte-allied Hugpong ng Pagbabago that the opposition slate is engaging in negative campaigning Otso Diretso said that telling the truth was not negative campaigning. 

“We at Otso Diretso are on the side of truth and justice for all,” opposition senatorial bet Samira Gutoc said in a statement. 

“Hindi negative campaigning o pamumulitika ang pagsasabi ng totoo (It’s not negative campaigning or politicking to tell the truth),” she added.

"Ang mga negatibong isyu na kinasasangkutan nila ay kailangang panagutan sa taumbayan (They should answer for these negative issues they’re implicated in.),” Gutoc said. 

On Monday, presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio told reporters that it's not her kind of politics to attack an opponent after she was asked if their slate feels alluded to when the opposition mentions that other candidates might not have a clean track record.

“It’s not my kind of politics to attack the opponent. What I’m saying there to the candidates to focus on track records, individual track records that can be presented and what they’ll do in the next three years,” Duterte said in a mix of Filipino and English in a press briefing in Ilocos Norte.

The Hugpong slate was reacting to a statement given at Otso’s campaign launch in Iriga City last week. 

“Kaming mga Otso Diretso, hindi kami kilala. Hindi talaga kami kilala sa pagnanakaw (We at Otso Diretso, we’re not known. And we’re not known for stealing),” opposition candidate Romulo Macalintal said during the sortie.

“Kaming Otso Diretso ay may mga track record. Yung iba, baka ibang record ang meron sila (We at Otso Diretso have a track record. The others have a different kind of record),” human rights lawyer Chel Diokno said.

Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, who is running under Hugpong’s slate said that hurling criticisms at the opponent is common during elections.

“Panahon ng eleksyon ngayon talagang bakbakan, at talagang batikusan. Pero huwag na ho nating patulan ang lahat, ang importante remain focus kung ano talaga ang kailangan ng bansa at kung anong support na mabibigay natin kay President Duterte (During election season, it’s really a battle and mudslinging. But let’s not respond to everything and focus on what the country needs and what support we can give to the president),” Marcos said during yesterday’s press conference.

But Gutoc said that they were merely asking questions.“Ma’am Sara, instead of accusing us of 'politicking,' why don’t you answer the questions?”  the Marawi advocate said in her statement. 

“Mali ba na may malalaking billboards ang ilan sa inyo? Mali ba na may nagpalabas ng biopic? Mali ba na may naakusahan sa inyo ng pagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan? O nasasaktan lamang marinig ang totoo? (Isn’t it wrong for some of you to have big billboards? Isn’t it wrong to have a biopic released? Isn’t it wrong that some of you are accused of stealing funds from the country? Or does it just hurt to hear the truth?) Instead of evading these questions, prove that we are wrong instead,” she said. — Ryan Macasero