Gutoc urges candidates, parties to conduct campaign accordingly during Ramadan

SANTIAGO, Isabela — Aksyon Demokratiko senatorial candidate Samira Gutoc on Friday called on the Commission on Elections to consider urging candidates and parties to conduct campaigns when Muslims are awake during Ramadan.

Ramadan will begin on the evening of Saturday, April 2, until Monday, May 2.

“I call out to the Comelec to consider that national and local, especially national parties, be encouraged to conduct campaigns when the Muslims are awake after 10 a.m.,” Gutoc said in an ambush interview.

“Because we fast from 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. and we pray until 8 p.m.,” she added.

Gutoc said this should be done especially in Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and ten barangays in Manila which are Muslim-dominant.

“Kaya ninyo ba mga candidates na 8 p.m. kayo mag conduct ng program? Di ba po. So baka you want to program accordingly,” she said.

(Can my fellow candidates conduct your programs after 8 p.m? Maybe you can plan your programs accordingly.)

Meanwhile, Gutoc said she will continue campaigning when asked if debates will be disadvantageous for her due to fasting.

“Baka kulang ako sa research, knowledge, or sometimes nagkaka-bloopers ako, but yeah, tuloy-tuloy to. Kasama ninyo ako sa kampanya,” she said.

(I may lack research, knowledge, or even have bloopers sometimes, but I will continue this. I am with you in this campaign.)

No awkwardness

Meanwhile, former Agrarian Reform secretary John Castriciones said he sees how Aksyon vice-presidential bet Willie Ong cares for the people.

He issued the remark when asked how he removed the awkwardness between him and Ong amid the fact that he is endorsing a different vice-presidential candidate.

“You know, Doc Willie is a very good man, napakabuting tao ni Doc Willie, at saka makikita mo sa kanya na hindi siya ‘yung taong talagang nagi-impose ng kanyang gusto sa tao,” he said.

(You know, Doc Willie is a very good man, he’s very nice person, and you can see that he will not impose his preferences on other people.)

“Ako, I find him a very good friend, napakabuting tao ni Doc Willie at dahil diyan ay nakikita ko na meron siyang talagang pagmamahal sa maliliit na tao lalong-lalo na 'yung kanyang position as doctor kitang kita natin tapat siya sa paglilingkod sa atin,” he added.

(For me, I find him a very good friend, he’s very good, and because of that, you can see that he really cares about the people, especially in his position as a doctor. You can see that he cares.)

For his part, Ong reiterated that he has no problem with Castriciones’ addition to the Senate slate of the party, saying the latter has an impressive resume.

“Dahil sa mga pinakita niya, tingin ko magiging magaling na senador, may endorsement pa siya ni President, nakita ko. Ako unconditional ang tulong ko kay Sec. John. Kung anuman desisyon ni Sec. John okay lang sa akin,” he said.

(Because of what he has shown, I can see that he will be a good senator. He already has an endorsement from the President, I saw it. My help for Sec. John is unconditional. Whatever his decision will be, it’s okay with me.)—AOL, GMA News