CONSIDERING CHANGE. Senatorial candidates Ernesto Maceda and Mitos Magsaysay discuss the Aquino administration, death penalty, and the Sabah dispute. Photo by Christie K. Lim
THE ATENEO Task Force 2013, in partnership with Yahoo! Philippines, sponsored a senatorial forum on Monday, April 23 at Escaler Hall to help student-voters scrutinize candidates’ platforms.
Co-organized by the Sanggunian and The Ateneo Assembly, The Yahoo! Purple Thumb Forum featured speeches from senatorial candidates Greco Belgica (Democratic Party of the Philippines), Ernesto Maceda (UNA) and Mitos Magsaysay (UNA) on various national issues.
National issues raised
One topic discussed was the candidates’ assessment of President Benigno Aquino III’s performance. The senatoriables gave him a thumbs down.
Magsaysay cited Aquino’s refusal to certify the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill as urgent, which seeks transparency in government records and transactions.
She also criticized the Aquino administration for the 19 billion-peso tax leakage at the Bureau of Customs due to smuggling and corruption.
Meanwhile, Belgica scoffed at the President’s increased budget of two trillion pesos for 2013.
“Kung ayaw ni PNoy ng corruption, bakit niya pa dinagdagan ang national budget? (If PNoy is against corruption, why is he increasing the national budget?)” he said.
The three candidates also criticized the President’s decision-making during the standoff in Sabah.
“PNoy mishandled the issue. The sultans have already declared ownership. Sabah would be a great resource for the country,” said Maceda.
The forum also touched on the possibility of reinstating the death penalty.
Maceda supported this, arguing that it would deter criminals and consequently lower the crime rate.
However, he said that only the most severe crimes should be punishable by death penalty, noting the liberty with which drug mules operate in the country.
Magsaysay disagreed.
“Life imprisonment would already suffice since the awful living conditions in prisons is enough punishment,” she said.
She added that the government should put more effort into implementing laws and minimizing the crime rate, rather than pushing for the death penalty to cover for its shortcomings.
