‘Duterte tirades vs Otso Diretso augur well for opposition’

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte’s continued verbal attacks against the Otso Diretso or Straight Eight senatorial candidates showed the opposition was gaining ground among Filipino voters, Sen. Leila de Lima said yesterday.

De Lima said she believes that the eight united opposition senatorial bets have good chances to make it in the winning circle in the upcoming May 13 national and local elections.

“Duterte’s taunting and mocking of the Otso Diretso candidates is a very good sign. That means the opposition slate’s numbers are improving,” she said in a brief handwritten statement from Camp Crame where she is detained.

“Individually and collectively, Otso Diretso has gained remarkable traction and is viewed as formidable,” she said.

In a bid to boost the senatorial bids of his favored candidates, Duterte has repeatedly lashed out at the opposition senatorial bets — individually and collectively — while pitching for the supposed qualifications of his administration’s Senate slate.

Otso Diretso are Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, former senator Mar Roxas, Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, human rights lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno, civic leader Samira Gutoc, former solicitor general Florin Hilbay, former congressman Erin Tañada and election lawyer Romy Macalintal.

Aside from claiming that Otso Diretso will head “straight to hell,” Duterte has accused them of doing nothing but criticize his administration, a remark Diokno refuted.

“It is the opposition’s job to question, criticize and give alternative ways to run government” and that “it would be better for the President to not be onion-skinned (as) this is the spirit of democracy,” Diokno said.

5 bets woo HK OFWs

Five candidates of the opposition Otso Diretso wooed support from Filipino voters in Hong Kong, which analysts describe as a Duterte bailiwick.

Tañada, Macalintal, Hilbay, Diokno and Gutoc pushed for increased benefits for overseas workers.

Macalintal said Filipinos seeking jobs abroad should not be charged a single centavo.

“If elected, I would file a bill that would exempt all OFWs from transport and medical fees. Our OFWs must enjoy more benefits,” he said.

Hilbay vowed to use the Senate’s powers, particularly its oversight function, to propose remedial legislation that would improve the system of deployment and caring for OFWs.

“The system has already been in place for several decades. We will make it more efficient, more humane, and more responsive to the needs of OFWs,” he said.

Gutoc, who recently received the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Peace Award, said she will fight for the rights of Filipino women, especially the migrant workers in Hong Kong.

She said women OFWs face greater dangers and vulnerabilities.

Of the 200,000 Filipinos in Hong Kong, more than 87,000 are registered overseas absentee voters.

Data from the Commission on Elections showed Hong Kong had the second highest voter turnout in the 2016 presidential elections with 52,449 votes cast. It came next to the United Arab Emirates with 62,103 votes lodged.

According to reports, some 34,000 Hong Kong-based Filipino absentee voters backed Duterte in the 2016 presidential elections. 

Honesty a factor

Meanwhile, Roxas believes voters should consider honesty as a factor in choosing candidates in the upcoming midterm elections.

Roxas used as an analogy the consumers’ fight for accurate weighing scales in the public markets.

“The housewives fight for a gram lacking in a kilo because it’s important, as important as honesty of those running for public office,” the former trade secretary said over the weekend.

Roxas topped the 2004 Senate race with his moniker “Mr. Palengke.”

Presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who serves as Hugpong Pagbabago campaign manager, sparked controversy for saying honesty is not an election issue because “everybody lies.”

Duterte-Carpio made the statement in response to questions on administration senatorial bet Imee Marcos’ educational background.

The daughter of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos is a senatorial candidate under Duterte-Carpio’s regional party.

Vice President Leni Robredo hit back at Duterte-Carpio, saying honesty is a “big factor” in knowing a person’s integrity and that dishonest officials should not run for public office. – With Helen Flores