CABANATUAN CITY - Aksyon Demokratiko vice presidential candidate Willie Ong on Thursday lashed out at critics who have been faulting him for gunning for the vice presidency instead of running for senator.

Ong said sone netizens have been telling him that he should have filed a certificate of candidacy for senator or waited to be appointed as secretary of the Department of Health (DOH).

“Sabi nila mag-senador na lang ako, paano yun eh nandito na ako? Bakit di nila pababain yung iba? Unfair di ba?” Ong said during their sortie in this city’s plaza.

(They tell me that I should have just ran for senator, but I’m here already, what can we do? Why don’t they urge other candidates to drop out of the race instead? Isn’t it unfair?)

“Mag-DOH secretary ka na lang? Paano yun? Mag-aapply ako mag-isa?” the cardiologist said.

(They tell me I should just work as DOH secretary? How can I do that? I’ll apply for the position by myself?)

“Wala na matira sa akin kaya [ang nasasabi na lang nila] 'wag ka na lang sumali,” he said.

(They have nothing to say against me that’s why they just tell me to drop out.)

‘PHILIPPINE POLITICS IS DIRTY’

Ong, who rose to fame for giving free medical advice online, said he has not been spared from vitriol on social media even if he has some 16 million followers on Facebook.

“Madumi talaga ang pulitika sa Pilipinas,” he said.

(Philippine politics is dirty.)

“Ang malungkot sa maduming pulitika, kahit marami akong followers, pagbukas mo ng Facebook, sisiraan kami,” he said.

(What’s sad about dirty politics, even if I have a lot of followers, when you open Facebook they still speak ill of us.)

Ong noted that his standard bearer was wrongfully linked to the communist movement, and was also criticized for running for president even before turning 50-years-old.

Aksyon Demokratiko’s senatorial candidates are also at a disadvantage because they do not have paid trolls, Ong said.

“Ang mga senador namin ang gagaling pero mahirap sila manalo kasi wala silang P300 million,” he said.

(Our senators are good but they find it difficult to win because they do not have P300 million.)

“Ito ay malilinis, magagaling na senador pero mahirap manalo.”

(They are clean, they are competent senatorial candidates but they will have a hard time in winning.)

Domagoso, on the other hand, reminded their supporters to avoid bickering with those who are backing other candidates.

“Sila, yang away-away sa Facebook nila Marites, bayad yun. Wag na kayo sumali doon. Wala naman kayong kapakinabangan doon,” the Aksyon Demokratiko presidential contender said.

(Those who are bickering on Facebook are paid. Don’t engage. You’ll get nothing out of that.)

“Wag kayo makikipag-away dahil yang magkakapartido na yan… pagkatapos ng halalan, sila-sila lang ang magpaparti-partihan,” he said.

(Don’t argue with other parties… because after the elections, they will just share the profit among themselves.)

Ong ended his string of frustrations on an optimistic note, saying that he still has a chance at winning the vice presidential race.

“Basta kami ni Doc Liza, lalaban kami ng malinis, wala kaming gagawing masama,” he said, referring to his wife, who has been consistently accompanying him in sorties nationwide.

(Doc Liza and I will fight fairly, we will not engage in dirty politicking.)

“Mananalo tayo. May karma sa mga may masamang ginagawa.”

(We will win. Karma awaits those who do evil things.)

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