Ka Leody, Pacquiao OK with motorcade ban in Davao City

At least two presidential candidates have expressed approval of the campaign motorcade and caravan ban in Davao City amid a series of increases in the prices of petroleum products.

Senator Manny Pacquiao said he would follow the Davao City government guidelines, but pointed out that campaigning is an essential part of the elections.

"Susunod tayo sa guidelines... Ito na nga 'yung tinatawag nating eleksyon eh dahil puwede kang mangampanya... Ang sa akin lang is ano pa ang silbi ng eleksyon kung walang pangangampanya?" Pacquiao said at a media briefing in Porac, Pampanga, on Tuesday.

(We will abide by the guidelines... But this is what we call elections, because candidates could conduct their campaigns. What is the use of elections if there is no campaign?)

Labor leader Leody de Guzman, for his part, said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) should instead implement a centralized system of campaigning for the 2022 national and local elections.

Following the recent announcement of the Davao City government to prohibit all campaign caravans and motorcades for the May 2022 elections due to high fuel costs and traffic jams, de Guzman said such activities are only for rich candidates and do not raise the level of electoral discourse in the country.

“Ang mga campaign caravan at/o motorcade ay maaksaya at mas nagagamit pang-bandwagon ng mapeperang kandidato. Higit pa dyan, walang naiaambag ang mga ito para itaas ang diskurso ng halalan,” he said in a statement Tuesday night.

“Sang-ayon ako na ang mga ganitong aktibidad ay di na dapat pahintulutan,” he added.

(Campaign caravans and/or motorcades are costly and used more as a bandwagon by rich candidates. Aside from this, they do nothing to raise the level of electoral discourse in the country. I agree that such activities should not be allowed.)

The labor leader, however, said that this ban by the Davao City government, headed by vice presidential candidate Mayor Sara Duterte, should not be used to prevent her rivals from campaigning in the city.

De Guzman's political party, the Partido Lakas ng Masa, is set to hold its campaign sorties in Davao City on March 15.

De Guzman’s running mate, Walden Bello, on Tuesday said he would be “very happy” if Duterte, who refused to attend the Comelec-sponsored debate, would debate with him in Davao City.

De Guzman encouraged the poll body to adopt such a policy and carry out a centralized campaign for all candidates in the upcoming elections.

“Mas mainam kung ito ay isasapatakaran ng Comelec at umpisahan na ang mga reporma sa halalan katulad ng sentralisadong pangangampanya na kung saan ang pagpapakilala at pagpapalaganap ng plataporma ng mga kandidato ay di nakabatay sa sariling kakayahang gumastos ng kandidato kundi ay pondohan ito ng estado at pantay na gagawin para sa lahat ng kandidato,” he said.

(It would be better if the Comelec enacts this and initiates electoral reforms like a centralized campaigning wherein candidates could introduce themselves and make their platforms known without depending on their own spending ability. This should be funded by the state to be fair for all candidates.)

De Guzman previously said he would push for a reform in the political and electoral system to ban corrupt government officials from seeking an elective post.

Meanwhile, presidential candidate Panfilo Lacson found it ironic that Duterte is banning motorcades in her bailiwick when their ticket has been conducting these in different parts of the country.

“Ang irony sila ang mahilig sa motorcade. In the spirit of fair play, dapat ‘wag s’ya mag-ban sa Davao City kasi otherwise sa ibang lugar nakakapag motorcade sila,” the senator said at a press conference in Pasig City.

(The irony is that their ticket is the one that always conducts motorcades. In the spirit of fair play, she should not ban it in Davao City because they can do it in other parts of the country.)

Lacson hoped that Duterte would lift the ban.

“That’s my opinion. Para maging consistent lang, I hope si Mayor Sara will reconsider ‘yung kanyang ordinance or whatever executive order na bina-ban ang motorcade sa Davao City,” he said.

(That’s my opinion. I hope Mayor Sara will reconsider her ordinance or whatever executive order prohibiting motorcades in Davao City for the sake of consistency.) —with Jamil Santos and Hana Bordey/KBK/VBL, GMA News