Former senator and now Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist first nominee Leila de Lima and former Commission on Audit (COA) commissioner and now senatorial bet Heidi Mendoza teamed up for an afternoon of campaigning in Pililla, Rizal on Saturday, March 1.
Mamamayang Liberal Partylist nominees Leila de Lima and Teddy Baguilat Jr. and senatorial bet Heidi Mendoza campaign in Rizal. (Photo from ML Partylist)
The two former officials of the previous Aquino administration, together with ML Partylist nominee Teddy Baguilat Jr. met with local leaders in Pililla and went house-to-house campaigning alongside the Angat Rizal volunteer network.
They also led the launch of the ML Partylist’s volunteer network and participated in a sectoral assembly.
In her speech, De Lima emphasized her firm stance against corruption.
"Simple lang po ang prinsipyo ko bilang isang public servant: No one is above the law. Kahit gaano ka kayaman, kahit marami kang kakampi, o kahit walang ibang nagsasalita -- ang mali ay mali (My principle as a public servant is very simple: No one is above the law. No matter how rich you are, how many allies you have, or even if no other person speaks up—what’s wrong is wrong),” she said.
Baguilat, a former lawmaker, voiced his admiration for Mendoza, saying that government leadership must have the likes of her and De Lima.
"Suportahan natin ‘yung mga programa na nararapat -- ‘yung mga programang maganda. Pero ‘yung mga programa na magiging bunga ng katiwalian at korupsyon, ‘yun po ang ating tutulan. At iyan po ang talino, karanasan, at galing ni Heidi Mendoza (Let us support the right programs. But if the programs will lead to abuse and corruption, let’s fight against them. That’s the intelligence, experience, and excellence of Heidi Mendoza),” he said.
Mendoza, a former state auditor who exposed the corrupt practices plaguing the military, was full of compliment for De Lima, who was imprisoned for nearly seven years on trumped-up drug charges by the Duterte administration.
"Alam niyo, walang sinabi ang tapang ko pagdating sa tapang ni senator Leila. Walang sinabi ang aking sakripisyo pagdating sa sakripisyo at pagtataya ni senator Leila (You know, my courage is nothing compared to Senator Leila’s courage. My sacrifices are nothing compared to the sacrifices and perseverance of Senator Leila),” she started.
"Isa lang ang hihilingin ko: kung hindi niyo ako kayang mahalin, West Philippine Sea na lang. Kung ako'y inyong kakalimutan, huwag niyong kalimutan si senator Leila alang-alang sa kanyang itinaya (I have one thing to ask: if you cannot love me, love the West Philippine Sea. If you forget about me, do not forget about Senator Leila on behalf of what she risked),” Mendoza added.
De Lima and Baguilat are running as partylist representatives, while Mendoza as an independent senatorial candidate. Banking on their volunteer networks, the three have anti-corruption stance and are advocating for good governance, transparency, and human rights.