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TIT A TI I I, A€,WBU Ii
T, E T I TI
THE NATION'S ITAIDING NDWSPAPER
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Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Senatolial bets
want no term
extenston
for Dutqrte
If there was one Pressing national
issue that maiority of nine senato-
rial bets agreed upon during a debate
televised nationwide Sunday' it is the
non-extension ofthe term of President
Rodrigo Dufterte in 2022.
oririne the ABS-CBN-sponsored
Harapan I0tg Senatorial Town Hall
nebaie. President Duterte's proposal
to chanqe t}Ie country's name to 'Ma-
harlika-;lso failed to win support from
candidales, four of whom are mem-
bers of the Liberal Parg-backed Otso
Diretso team.
Re-electionist Sen. Bam Aquino,
environment and womeris rights ad--
vocate Samira Gutoc, human rights
lawv6r Chel Diolmo and; former Solici-
"General
tor F lorin Hilbay rejected any
move to exten[ Duterte's term
#:H;**'T-*-*- >e
!
" T,oo,lT PAg€"
Senatorial bets want...
Also airing their respective posr-
tions on various national issues raised
during the "Fast Talk" segment of the
proglam were lawyer Larry Gadon of
the Kilusang Bagoqg Lipunan; former
Biliran Rep. Glenn Chong, former
presidential political adviser Francis
Tolentino; former GMA-? broadcast
journatist Jiggr Manicad, and cardiolo-
gist Willy Ong.
Re-electionist Senator and PDP-
Laban bet Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel
III did not make it to the first of three
senatorial debates suppofied by Manila
BuUetin.
In the Fast Talk segment, the sena-
torial hopeful were asked to respond
quickly to several questions that in-
cluded issues on same-sex marriage;
divorce, federalism, Chaiter Change
and medical marijuana.
Time limit had appaiently caught
up with Gadon as the common ques-
tions were no longer asked byprogram
hosts Karen Davila and Alvin Elchico.
The. "Marcps loyalist" lawyer focused
on defending the late President Fer-
dinand E. Marcos and his family from
charges of having amassed ill-gotten
wealth and human rights violations.
Chong backed moves to deport the
female Chinese student who threw a
cup ofbean curd on a policeman, say-
ing she is an "undesirable alien.
On the pork barrel issue, Chong
stated: "Karamihan sa kanila (law-
rnakers) ninakaw lang at ibinulsa ang
pork (Most of the lawmakers stole and
pocketed their pork)."
Gutoc backed term limits for Du-
tertb and the legalization of divorce,
saying that many relationshipp are
<1
"abusive." The former ARMM legislator
said it was her choice not to become a
fourth wife to a Muslim man.
Aquiho, a critic of the Duterte
'administration, cited the President's
improvement of the medium and small-
scale industries as one of his sterling
accomplishments.
Manicad, ajournalist, said the case
ofarrested Rappler chief Maria Ressa
should be teft to the courts to decide.
On the.other hand, Tolentino said
that historically, the United States
is closer to Filipinos than China. He
rejected the legalization of medical
marijuana pointing oui that its medical
advantages have not been "validated
scientilically."
Hilbay, a former Solicitor General
favours medical marijuana and same
sex marriage.
"Hindi kailangan maging college
graduate ang mga senador. Ang mga
Pilipino ay dapat magkaroon ng access
sa mga public position," he said. (There
is no need for senators to be college
graduate. Filipinos should have access
to public pqsition," he said.
.Diokno, who clearly won plus points
for his clear and witty responses to
questions, favored divorce, pointing out
that it is difncult to establish psychologi-
cal incapacity in annulment cases.
He also rejected the party-list
law, pointing out that politicians have
muddled it.
Doctors to the barrio
Chong is pushing for a strategic
health initiative especially in far flung
areas. "Noong akoy Congressman pa
lamang, nag-institute po ako ng slra-
tegic health initigtive. Pumili po ako
ng mobile clinic at nilaryan ko po ng
32 doclors, dentists and nurses. So I
would like to institute that system na-
tionwide for far-flung barangE/s para
ma5noon pong immediate intervention
po para sa,ating mga liblib na lugat"
he said.
Dr. Ong said there should be schol-
ars from Minadanao who should be
trained.
"Dapat magti-train tayo ng mga
scholars na galing doon mismo sa
Mindanao, sa lugar nila. Bibigran natin
ng salary Libre '''ung education nila
para pagbalik nila maging doktor sila,
magsisitbi sila doon at ligtas sila (We
should train scholars who come from
Mindanao so that after they frnish their
studies which will be free they can im-
mediately serve their community and
because they are from the area, they
are safe)," Ong said.
Should he win in l"he upcoming
hidterm polls, Ong said he would make
maintenance medicines more afford-
able or fTee for the public.
"Kasi sa ibang bansa nagagawa,
dito sa.atin hindi kaya (In other coun-
lries they can do that. bul not here in
our country)," he argued.
Ong, who is known for his health
tips and advice .on social media, had
earlier said he hopes to continue the
legacy of the late Seneltor Juan Fla-
vier
Gutoc said doctors to the barrios
should be institutionalized.
"Importante po Doctors to the
Barrios should be institutionalized,
doctors for barrios should be given.
subsidy, barangay health workers and
programming by the doctors led by
doctors themselves should be a priority
.
by the LGU, if not, the national DOH,"
she said.