Candidates told: If everybody lies, strive to do better

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News

<h2>Poll bets shouldn&#x27;t take offense over questions on education </h2><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1389665" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>MANILA -- Candidates for public office should &quot;strive to do better&quot; even if everybody lies, as claimed by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, a former poll body official and an election watchdog said Thursday. </p><p>Duterte-Carpio, who chairs the Hugpong ng Pagbabago regional slate, earlier said “honesty should not be an issue now” because “all candidates lie.” </p><p>&quot;You should strive to do better. It doesn&#x27;t necessarily mean that because everybody is doing it, it&#x27;s right... You should find ways to correct it,&quot; former Commission on Elections commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal told ANC. </p><p>&quot;We cannot tolerate it and we have to make sure that this doesn&#x27;t become the norm,&quot; added Kontra Daya convenor Danilo Arao. </p><p>Duterte-Carpio made the statement following questions about the legitimacy of HNP-endorsed candidate Imee Marcos&#x27; diplomas from the University of the Philippines College of Law and Ivy League school Princeton University. </p><p>Marcos earlier said she graduated with a degree in Religion and Politics from the US-based university and as cum laude from UP. Both schools belied her claims.</p><p>The Ilocos Norte governor has yet to address the issue. </p><p>&quot;Pabayaan na natin &#x27;yung mga banat banat nila. Basta sa amin, ilalatag namin &#x27;yung programa namin,&quot; Marcos told reporters on Wednesday. </p><p>(Let&#x27;s just ignore their tirades. I will focus on pushing for my public programs.) </p><p>Candidates should not take offense when their academic credentials are questioned as &quot;that is part of the process in terms of educating our voters,&quot; said Arao. </p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s not an issue of whether or not you have a degree, but whether or not there is truth to what you claim,&quot; he said. </p><p>&quot;There is a distinction between white lies and lies that really deceive millions of people and hoodwink people into partaking of their money,&quot; he added. </p><div><strong>COMELEC URGED: MOUNT DEBATES, FORUMS</strong></div><p>Both Arao and Larrazabal also urged the poll body to stage debates and public forums that will test candidates&#x27; stands on national concern, instead of letting them dictate the narrative of the campaign period. </p><p>&quot;Comelec should take the reins and tell the candidates that this is what you should provide, not just singing and dancing, not just entertainment but discussion of issues,&quot; said Larrazabal. </p><p>&quot;They will craft laws that will affect us for decades and I think it&#x27;s travesty that we&#x27;re not discussing the important things. We&#x27;re discussing trivial matters,&quot; Arao noted. </p><p>With 2 months ahead of the May 13 polls, there is &quot;sufficient time to organize townhall discussions, if we don&#x27;t like debates, on important issues,&quot; said Larrazabal. </p>

<p>Candidates for public office should "strive to do better" even if everybody lies, as claimed by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, a former poll body official and an election watchdog said Thursday.</p>

Candidates for public office should "strive to do better" even if everybody lies, as claimed by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, a former poll body official and an election watchdog said Thursday.

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Candidates told: If everybody lies, strive to do better

Candidates told: If everybody lies, strive to do better

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 07, 2019 10:41 AM PHT

|

Updated Mar 07, 2019 11:15 AM PHT

Read More:

ANC

ANC Top

ANC Exclusives

halalan 2019

2019 elections

politics

Hugpong ng Pagbabago

Sara Duterte

Imee Marcos

Gregorio Larrazabal

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