Disappointed at the failure of the 1986 EDSA Revolution to remove massive corruption in government, PROMDI Party presidential bet Sen. Manny Pacquiao Friday, Feb. 25 vowed to stage the 2022 Revolution Against Corruption that will finally cleanse the regime of grafters and dishonest officials.
In a statement Pacquiao noted that the popular People Power revolt may have succeeded in deposing a dictator but the culture of graft and dishonesty remained.
Also representing PDP-Laban (Pimentel wing) as its standard bearer, Pacquiao lamented that unabated corruption has increased the number of poverty-stricken Filipinos.
“Ang 1986 EDSA Revolution ay inalis ang isang diktador dahil sa sobrang korapsyon na nagdulot ng kahirapan. Ngunit 36 years na ang nakalipas, dumami pa ang mahirap dahil walang pagbabago ang gobyerno. (The 1986 EDSA Revolution succeeded in unseating a dictator because of the enormous corruption that triggered poverty. After 36 years the poor multiplied in number because nothing changed in government),” the presidential bet said in a press statement on the commemoration of the People Power revolt.
“Kung ako ang papalarin na maging pangulo magkakaroon tayo ng 2022 Revolution Against Corruption!!! Para tuldokan ang korapsyon sa Pilipinas. Nangyari ito sa Hongkong at Singapore. Sa tulong ng Diyos ay mangyayari rin ito sa Pilipinas. (Should I win the presidency we will have a 2022 Revolution Against Corruption!!!. We will put an end to corruption in the Philippines. This happened in Hongkong and Singapore. With God’s grace, this will also happen in the Philippines),” the Mindanaoan senator stated.
In many campaign sorties, Pacquiao would tell the people that poverty in the country should be blamed squarely on corrupt officials in the government.
He is confident that he can deliver free housing for the millions of homeless Filipinos with the huge budgetary requirement coming from the billions of pesos that may be recovered from those who stole government funds and the trillions that will be saved as a result of graft-free government.
In his statement, the country’s icon in international boxing pointed out that the grant of presidential pardon to public executives who have been convicted for violating the anti-graft law has given officials the courage to continue with their nefarious activities.
“Sa 2022 Revolution Against Corruption, ipatutupad natin ang batas. Kung habambuhay ang sentensiya ay dapat habambuhay din ang kulong. Tignan natin kung may magnakaw pa sa gobyerno! (Under the 2022 Revolution Against Corruption, we will make sure that the law is executed. Those sentenced to serve a life sentence will be jailed for life. Let’s see if other will continue stealing from government!),” he said.
“Alam natin na malalaking mga tao ang babangahin ko dito. Pero ako ay hindi takot dahil ang isang tao na may takot sa Diyos ay walang kinakatakotan. (I am aware that we will be facing powerful individuals. But I am not afraid because a man who fears God fear nothing.)” he stressed.
“At kung gumawa ka ng tama kakampi mo ang Diyos. (And if you do what is right, God will be your ally.),” Pacquiao said.