Gordon: Discern core values among presidential hopefuls

Senator Richard J. Gordon today supported Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting's call for the Filipino electorate to discern well the core values of those eyeing the presidency than be swayed by infomercials aimed to advance their political ambition.

Gordon expressed his support as he asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to reformulate the current parameters against presidential aspirants' premature campaigning disguised as advocacy commercials ahead of the election campaign period.

"What the PPCRV pronounced is just right. Why would we vote for a person who disregards the law? The Comelec must do something about this," he said during the regular Kapihan sa Senado media forum at the Senate.

Gordon said the proliferation of infomercials among politicians, especially those who early on have already announced their political plans for 2010 elections, is obviously part of early campaigning and a deliberate act of circumventing the Fair Elections Law.

"Comelec is quibbling. That is already early campaigning. Campaigning is not the act of filing a certificate of candidacy. Campaigning is advertising not for a cause but for a cause to enhance your (political) position," he said.

Instead of coming out with political advertisements, the senator said political candidates must instead engage in debates to allow the voting public to gauge their credentials and readiness to serve in any national and local elective positions.

"Let us debate instead," he said succinctly, adding that the holding of public debate to be sponsored by credible media entities would level the playing field among the rich and poor aspirants for national and local elective offices.

He also called for more transparency in the reportage of surveys of voting intentions so as not to unduly condition the public's mind and confuse the Filipino electorate to vote based on mere popularity rather than on strong credibility and track record.

"Survey is a form of manipulation. It makes us think or believe that respondents of these polls represent the voice of the people," Gordon said.

"We should have a policy on the publication and reportage of survey results even outside the election campaign period. In France, Australia, and other countries, opinion poll results are not announced. In the US, they have stringent rules on publicizing surveys," he said.

Gordon said that pertinent information on the conduct of opinion polls, such as who commissioned it, how much was paid for it, what were the questions asked and how were the respondents selected, must be included in the publication and reportage of survey results.