Hugpong bets say they shun negative campaigning

Laoag City, Ilocos Norte — Hugpong ng Pagbabago, the alliance of administration candidates for the Senate race in May led by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, will not engage in negative campaigning for the 2019 polls.

Mayor Duterte, Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos and Senator Cynthia Villar made the position when asked if they feel alluded to when the opposition slate "Otso Diretso" called out those supposed candidates with record of graft and corruption.

"I don't feel alluded to because it is not my kind of politics na atakehin ang kalaban. Doon lang kami focus sa candidate [namin], sa kanilang track record as individuals para sa next three years," Mayor Duterte said.

"Ganyan talaga pag eleksiyon, bakbakan, pero hindi naman dapat lahat, patulan," Marcos added.

Villar, on the other hand, says negative campaigning is an unnecessary burden to bear amid a rigorous campaign.

"Policy na ng aming pamilya iyan na huwag siraan ang iba. Konsiyensiya mo pa 'yan pag nag black prop[aganda] ka," Villar said. —LDF, GMA News