With 12 days to go before the elections, presidential candidate Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson said he already received incident reports about vote-buying and voter terrorism or acts of intimidation.
Lacson said he already brought this to the attention of a top official from the Philippine National Police (PNP).
He revealed this information during his town hall meeting in Bangued, Abra where local government officials and residents personally expressed their concerns with him regarding the possible escalation of violence in the province en route to the upcoming May 9, 2022 elections.
“Over lunch, I was in a telephone conversation with the top police official not only in Abra, not only in CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region), but what we call) DIPO,” Lacson told the Abreños, referring to the PNP Directorates for Integrated Police Operations.
“And I asked him to please come over and see for himself the situation here because I already have been told about the problems on vote-buying, about the terrorism of voters just what you have shared with us this afternoon,” he added.
Lacson said he has been assured by the PNP official he spoke with that they will look into these concerns. He also reiterated his earnest appeal to the electorate of Abra to avoid electing politicians with a history of corruption, deceit, and other character traits unworthy of a leader.
“When we go to the polling places, consider this thought right away, am I going to vote for a politician or a public servant? It’s about time we choose a public servant, not a politician, because a politician already has a negative connotation that will only be taking advantage of us,” noted Lacson.
He underscored this message, especially to the members of the youth sector who attended his public gathering.
He also advised them to educate other voters even if they are older than them to be more discerning in choosing their next sets of leaders.
He also stressed it is time to end the culture where “warlords” keep residents poor and ignorant, and always dependent on them.
Should he and vice presidential bet Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III be elected into office on May 9, Lacson said he will take the first step by implementing “without letup” a massive internal cleansing of the bureaucracy.
