Press Release
April 18, 2016

POE: UPHOLD DEMOCRACY

Presidential race frontrunner Sen. Grace Poe said she is all for tough measures to fight criminality and illegal drugs but never at the expense of the country's hard-fought democracy.

Poe, who was in Las Piñas for a campaign sortie, made the statement when she was asked about Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte's notorious crime-busting tactics. The mayor has openly remarked about killing suspected criminals without due process.

Poe said such tactics are a clear threat to democracy.

"Ito po ay banta sa ating kalayaan at demokrasya. Para bang sinasabi natin ipagpapalit natin ang lahat para lamang mabilisan ang paggawa ng solusyon pero at what cost? Ano ba ito?" said Poe as she stressed the need for judicial reforms.

"Para sa akin, banta na rin ang mga ito sa mga nagawa natin. Ayusin natin ang sistema para mapanagot ang mga may pagkakasala. Pero hindi natin pwedeng sabihin na uubusin natin o extrajudicial ang gagawin natin kasi lahat ng pinaghirapan natin ay mawawala," the senator said.

What the government needs to kill is hunger, not the hungry, she said.

"Ang gusto natin ay isalba ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino. Ang gusto natin ay wakasan ang kahirapan. 'Yan ang ating tunay na problema sa ating bayan. Kaya kung ako'y magiging pangulo, dadami ang trabaho, tapusin na natin ang endo. Wala na dapat kontraktwalisasyon," Poe told supporters in a campaign rally in Las Piñas.

Poe made the rounds of Las Piñas, Muntinlupa and Parañaque Monday, bringing her campaign for "Gobyernong may Puso" to residents of southern Metro Manila.

The lone independent presidential candidate also urged her fellow candidates to be more prudent about what they do or say because loyal followers will take their cue from them.

"Ang totoo niyan, kung ano ang inaasta ng iyong lider, ganoon din ang iaasta 'nung mga tagasuporta. 'Pag iniisip nilang tama 'yung ginagawa niya, baka lahat tayo ay ganoon na rin," she said.

Poe said the fact that some people can't even express their opinions without the fear of getting bashed online and criticized is already a threat to a democratic right.

"Parang kahit naman kayo sa media nagpipigil din kayo magsalita dahil dinudumog kayo ng kritisismo ng mga ibang sumusuporta. Lahat naman tayo may karapatang mamili, pero sana huwag naman din nating bastusin 'yung mga ibang (tao) na may ibang pananaw," she said.

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