Presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo Lacson warned voters against accepting bribes from candidates and their camps in exchange for their votes in the upcoming May 2022 elections.

Lacson, who is Partido Reporma’s standard bearer in next year’s polls, pointed out succumbing to vote-buying activities could lead to six years or more of misery.

"Iniisip nila out of desperation, 'Tama na ito, for one week I can survive with P2,000 to P3,000' (Out of desperation, some may accept the money offered - about P2,000 to P3,000 - to make ends meet for one week),” Lacson said, during a meeting with local government officials in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.

“Not knowing that three or six years, hence, ang living condition, naroon ang misery ng buhay (But they do not know that for the next three to six years, they will be stuck living miserable lives)," Lacson added.

“Should the wrong candidates win due to vote-buying, they might not only fail to address the humongous problems besetting our country - they might even worsen our lot,” he warned.

Lacson said all Filipinos who are eligible to vote must “wake up to the reality” that it is up to them to make a difference for the next six years by choosing the right leader.

Because the one moment you sell your vote could lead to six years more of desolation, according to the lawmaker.

“It’s all up to you, it's all up to us. We should choose wisely our next leaders,” he stressed.

Furthermore, Lacson said he and his running mate, Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, who is running under the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), are presenting themselves to the Filipinos with a "concrete, implementable and future-proof strategy not only to make us survive—but more importantly, to make us thrive as a nation."

“We’re selling ourselves but in a way that we present our platform of government. We don't resort to entertainment,” he said.