THE PHILIPPINE STAR

news MONDAY I MARCH n, 2O!9

'Duterte tirades
vs Otso Diretso augur
well for opposition'
ernrnent" and that "it would Accordr ng to reports, some-
By PAOLO ROMERO
be better for the President to
President Duterte's contin-
not be onion-sklnned (as) this ih?t'"*?r?Jxtq"x:T*J],
Duterte in the 2016 presiden- I
ued verbal attacks against the
is the spirit of democracy,"
Diokno said. tial elections. jle a$E3EsfgEE gEA E
Honesry a ractd
Otso Diretso or Straight Eight
.senatorial candidates showed 5betswooHKOFWs
the opposition was gaining Meanwhile, Roxas believes
ffFpfrIE$EEE; iEF E3
Five candidates of the op-
ground among Filipino vot- position Otso Diretso wooed voters shquld consider hon'
ers, Sen. Leila de Lima said
support from Filipino voters esty as a factor iri choosing
yesterday.
in Hong Kong, which analysts candidates in the upcoming
De Lima said she believes describe as a Duterte bailiwi& midterm
elections.
that the eighi united opposi- Tafrad4 Macalintal, Hilbay, Roxas used as an analogy
tion senatorial bets have good
Diokno and Gutoc Pushed for the consumers' fight for iC-
chances to make it in thd win-
increased benefits for over- curate weighing scales in the
ning circle in the upcominq seas workers. public markets.
May 13 national aird Iocai Macalintal said Filipinos "The housewives fisht
elections. jobs abroad- should for a gram lacking in a ftlo
siekiag
"Duterte's taunting and not be charged a single cen- because it's
mocking of the Otso Diretso tavo.
important, as
important as honesty of those
candidates is a verv eood "If elected, I would file a running for public office," the
sign. That means the'op"posi-
bill that would exempt a1l former trade secretarv said
tion slate's numbers are im- OFWs from transport and over the weekend- '
proving," she said in a brief medical fees. Our OFWs must
handwritten statement from enjoy more benefits," he said. Senate racetopped
Roxas the 2004
Camp Crame where she is with his moniker
Hilbay vowed to use the "Mr. Palengke."
detained. qenate's powers, phrticularly P re s idential daugh-
"Lrdivi dually and collective- ter
ly, Otso Diretso has gained re. its oversight function, to pro_ Davao Citv N{avor
pose remedial legislation ihat Sara Du\drte-Caipio, r.i, ho
markable haction and is viewed
as formidable," she said.
would improve t-he system of serves as Hugpong Pag-
DaDago campatgn manager,
In abid io boost the senato- deployment and caring for
OFWs sparked controversy for say-
rial bids of his favored candi-
dates, Duterte has rebeatedlv "The 'system has alreadv ing honesty is not an election
lashed out at the oppositioir been in place for several dJ_ issue because "evervbodv
senatorial bets individu- citdes. We will make it more lies."
- efficient, more humane, and Duterte-Carpio made the
ally and collectively while
pitching for the iupposed- more respo-nsive to the needs statement in response to
of OFWs," he said. questions on administration
qualifications of his admin- .

Gutoc, who recentlv re_ senatorial bet Imee Marcos'

istration's Senate slate.
Otso Diretso are Sen. Paolo
Benigno Aquino IV, former
senator Mar Roxas, Maqdalo
partylist Rep. Gary Alijano,
human rights lawyer Jose
Manuel Diokno, civic leader
Samira Gutoc, former so-
licitor general Florin Hilbay,
former congressman Erin
Tafrada and election lawver
Romy Macalintal
_ Asi de from claiming
that Otso Diretso will head
"stmight to hell," Duterte has
accused them of doing noth-
ing but criticize his admin-
ceived the United Nations De_ educational backsround.
velopment Program (UNDp) The daughter of"late dictator
Peace Award, iaid she witi Ferdinand Marcos is a senato-
fight for the rights of Filipino rial candidate under Duterte-
womery especially the misiant Carpio's regional party.
workers in Hong Kone. Vice President Leni Robre-
She said *6men"OFWs do hit back at Duterte-Carpio,
.
tace greater dangers and vul_ saying hon€sty is a "big fac-
tor" in knowing a person's
nerabilities-
Of the 20O000 Filipinos in integrity and that dishonest
Hong Kong, more thair 8ZOO0 officials should not run for
are registered overseas absen_ public office.
tee voters. - With Helen Flores
Data from the Commis-
sion on Elections showed
Hong Kong frad the second " pAqt -g n

istratio& a remark Diokno highest voier turnout in the

refuted.
. "It is the opposition's job
to question, criticize and give
aliernative ways to run [ov-
2016 presidential elections
with 52,449 votes cast. It
came next to the United
Arab Emirates with 62,103
votes lodged.