By Hannah Torregoza
Former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile on Monday clarified that he is not seeking another Senate term just to gain any honor or remuneration.
Juan Ponce Enrile (Credits: Wikimedia Commons | Manila Bulletin)
Enrile, in his Facebook post, reiterated he is vying for a Senate seat in the upcoming May 2019 midterm elections for a chance to serve the nation once again.
“I wish everyone to know this. I am one of the candidates for the Senate in next year's senatorial election. I am not running to gain any honor or material reward. I am running for the Senate to perform a public service to the nation and to the Filipino people,” Enrile said.
In his social media post, Enrile also said he has no plans to spend much during the campaign as he does not have enough funds to use.
“I am not going to spend a large amount of money to get a seat in the Senate. I will campaign on a limited budget. I do not have that much money to spend,” the former Senate leader said.
“Even if I have, I do not wish anyone to say that I am buying or that I bought my seat in the Senate,” he stressed.
“My campaign will be simple. I will not use a large and elaborate campaign organization,” the veteran lawmaker added.
Enrile, likewise, said he has no plans to employ a lot of staff to help him advance his senatorial bid.
He said he will depend on volunteers and social media to convey his message and his advocacies.
“I will put up a skeletal campaign staff. I will use the least amount of propaganda. My plan is to enlist and rely on the goodwill of volunteers from the ranks of my relatives, friends, and supporters. I welcome the assistance of those who care to help me,” added the ex-senator.
“By and large, I will depend on the Internet, the social media, cellular telephones, and other legitimate channels of communications to reach out to our people and bring to them my messages, issues, and proposals,” he said.
Enrile earlier filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) saying he would be running as an independent candidate. Later, he said he will run under the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) of former President and now Manila city mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada.
Enrile was charged, along with former Senators Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., with plunder for his alleged role in the multibillion-peso Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam.
But in 2015, he was released on bail for humanitarian reasons, with the Supreme Court citing his poor health in ruling in his favor.
Like Enrile, Estrada and Revilla are also seeking a Senate comeback in next year's elections.