Aspiring president Norberto Gonzales, who is also a staunch critic of the Marcoses, on Wednesday, Jan. 12 said there is no way he could match his political rival, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s campaign activities as he cannot finance his own with a money that was "not even hard-earned."
In a press conference, Gonzales said he "will not match that campaign" because he will not "fool" his fellow "nor use them for wrong propaganda."
Gonzales, who was a defense chief during the Macapagal-Arroyo's administration, believed the Filipino people know how to distinguish what is right and wrong, so he will "not buy" them to earn a favor.
"Di ko tatapatan ang pera ni Marcos. Mahirap tapatan yan eh, hindi pinaghirapan 'yung yaman na yun...tapos tatapatan mo (I will not match Marcos' money. It's hard. It wasn't even hard-earned and I'd match it?)," he said when asked how he could rise from the surveys and match Marcos' well-funded campaigns.
What's important for Gonzales, he said, is not to be popular in a bid to win the higest seat in the country but to match the general sentiment of the public.
"Magpaliwanag at magpakita ng iba't-ibang options sa politika hangga't sa dumating ang panahon o oras na magkaroon tayo ng national sentiment (I hope we can show them different options in politics until it comes a point that we have a national sentiment)," he said.
"Kung ang aking sinasabi at pinapaliwanag ay magmatch doon sa national sentiment (Once my principles match to the national sentiment)...that to me is more important," he added.