CAUAYAN CITY – Nagpaliwanag si dating Sen. Heherson Alvarez kung bakit ito umatras sa pagtakbo bilang kongresista ng Isabela 4th District.
Sa panayam ng Bombo Radyo sinabi ni Alvarez na dulot ito ng impluwensya ng vote buying at iba pang paglabag sa panuntunan ng patas na kampanya para sa halalan.
Pinuna rin nito sa kanyang official statement ang hindi pagiging patas ng ilang kandidato na nambibili umano ng boto ng publiko.
“Unfortunately, the massive and overwhelming vote-buying makes the electoral process a sham. Vote-buying is vote-killing and is as destructive to our democracy as drug is as destructive to our physical well-being.”
“I cannot continue to participate in this political exercise that violates our precious political freedom of choice of leaders. This political abuse of our cherished freedom is now of wide public knowledge. We must renounce it, denounce it and withdraw our tolerance or our democracy will wither away.”
Nagpasalamat naman si Alvarez sa pangulo dahil pag-endorso sa kanyang standard bearer ng PDP-Laban sa tinatakbuhang distrito.
“I had hope that this election would have been my last effort to render public service after several decades of cumulative experience. I’m grateful for having been endorsed by the President as the standard bearer of our political party for the 4th congressional district of Isabela.”
“Our President has issued a warning to jail perpetrators of vote-buying. Let us stand up and assist the President to strengthen our democratic system and enable our people to exercise the right of precious suffrage as freemen in a robust and free community.”
“Let us make those who undermine our free suffrage accountable to our laws and constitution. As the President has warned, we must seek to help penalie vote-buyers as we do to drug offenders.”
“We must not tolerate them to occupy the honored government offices of power and responsibility that enable them to ham with impunity our national interest.”
Bago tumakbo bilang kongresista, dating nanilbihan si Alvarez bilang Minister of Agrarian Reform sa ilalim ng adminsitrasyon ni former Pres. Cory Aquino, naging senador din at kongresista ng Isabela mula 1998 hanggang 2001.
