Pacquiao's senatorial bet slams 'unity' campaign: 'Unity para kalimutan ang mga kalokohang ginawa'

DUMAGUETE CITY —  A senatorial bet of presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao on Saturday criticized the campaign slogan of the tandem of Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, claiming that it is intended to cover up the Marcoses' alleged atrocities.

"Itong isang kandidato nagsasabi na unity. 'Kailangan maging united tayo.' Anong klaseng unity? Unity para kalimutan ang mga kalokohang ginawa. Unity para pagtakpan ang mga kasinungalingan, mga ninakaw na pera sa kaban ng bayan," said senatorial candidate Lutgardo Barbo in his speech during Pacquiao's grand rally here.

(One candidate is calling for unity, saying, "We need to be united." But what kind of unity? It is unity to forget the atrocities. Unity to cover up the lies and theft from public coffers.)

Barbo, who sits as vice chairman of the PDP-Laban faction led by Pacquiao, said unity should instead be based on "justice" and "truth."

He then brought up the Marcoses' ill-gotten wealth.

"Meron isang kandidato, sikat ang kaniyang nanay, sikat ang kaniyang tatay pero magnanakaw. Hindi lamang magnanakaw ng ating kaban ng bayan, ng ating pera. Magnanakaw ng kinabukasan ng Republika ng Pilipinas," he said.

(There is one candidate in particular. His mother is well-known. His father was famous, but he was also a thief. He not only took money from the country's coffers, but he also robbed the Republic of the Philippines of its future.)

Barbo also said former First Lady Imelda Marcos was found guilty of seven counts of graft for creating and managing foundations in Switzerland that earned interest for the benefit of her family.

She was sentenced to six to 11 years imprisonment for each count.

"Pero anong nangyari? Dahil malakas sila, hindi nakulong," he said.

(But what happened? Because they are powerful, she has not been imprisoned.)

Unlike Bongbong, son of the late former President Ferdinand Marcos, Pacquiao did not achieve fame by banking on the family name, Barbo said.

GMA News Online reached out to the Marcos Jr. and Duterte camps for comment, but they had yet to respond as of posting time.

Pacquiao woos residents of Negros Oriental

In his campaign speech, the boxing icon-turned-lawmaker criticized government officials who graduated from prestigious universities abroad but failed to deliver on their promises.

"Binigyan natin sila ng pagkakataon for how many decades, ilang dekada na ang lumipas sa ating bansa. Pinakakitaan tayo ng Harvard graduate, Boston graduate, Georgetown, pinakitaan tayo ng Oxford University graduate. Ano ang nangyari? Bakit naghihirap pa rin tayong lahat? Bakit nabaon 'yung ating bansa sa utang? Nasaan ang kanilang mga diploma?" Pacquiao said in Cebuano.

(They were given the opportunity for many decades. We were presented with graduates from Harvard, Boston, Georgetown, and Oxford universities. What happened? Why are we still struggling? Why is the country drowning in debt? Where are their diplomas?)

If elected president, Pacquiao promised to build bridges connecting the different regions of the Visayas.

"Ngayong taon simulan na natin 'yung bridge na Negros papunta sa Cebu. At meron pa, Negros papuntang Guimaras at Guimaras papuntang Panay," the senator said.

(This year, let's work on the bridge that will connect Negros and Cebu. There is also the proposed Negros-Guimaras bridge and Guimaras-Panay bridge.)

"Kaya kailangan ko ang inyong suporta. Ang laban na ito, wala akong vested interest, wala akong intensyong magnakaw," Pacquiao added.

(That is why I need your support. I have no vested interest in this fight. I have no intention of stealing government funds.)

Some of Pacquiao's rivals, including Marcos Jr.  and Vice President Leni Robredo, have previously expressed support for the construction of the Negros-Guimaras-Iloilo bridge. — VBL, GMA News