MANILA, Philippines — Opposition senatorial candidate Gary Alejano lashed back at Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) founding chair Sara Duterte-Carpio on Thursday after the latter dismissed honesty as a non-issue while saying that even the Magdalo Party representative was guilty of lying.

The Magdalo representative warned the Davao Mayor against “normalizing lying,” saying “public office is a public trust.”

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“Mataas dapat ang pamantayan natin sa pagpili ng mga lider. ‘Wag na ‘wag nating tatanggapin na ang mga kandidato ay pare-parehong sinungaling dahil public office is a public trust,” Alejano said in a statement.

READ: Sara Duterte: Honesty not an issue for Bong Go

On Wednesday night, the HNP leader said: “Walang isang kandidato d’yan na hindi nagsisinungaling kaya hindi dapat nagiging issue ang honesty ngayon.”

She then gave Alejano as an example of a “lying” candidate.

According to Duterte-Carpio, Alejano lied when he accused Bong Go of spending taxpayer money after t-shirts printed with Go’s name and image were distributed to barangay officials during a League of Barangays convention last month.

READ: Sara Duterte: Alejano lying on accusation vs Bong Go

READ: As poll bets trade barbs, Sara Duterte says ‘Everybody lies’

But the former Marine officer maintained his “evidence-backed” allegations.

“Inilatag ko lang lahat ng mga ebidensyang ipinaabot sa akin ng mga nagsipagdalo sa National Assembly ng Liga ng mga Barangay. Sila mismo ay umalma sa paggamit ng isang official government activity na pinondohan ng pera ng bayan para lang mangampanya ang isang kandidato. Tumatawag nga sila sa akin ngayon dahil masama ang loob nila sa pagbaluktot ng mga kwento,” Alejano said.

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Go and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año belied the allegation of Alejano. Año slammed the claim of the Otso Diresto candidate as “fake news.”

READ: Bong Go assures public no gov’t funds used in campaign

READ: DILG chief: Bong Go shirts not bought with gov’t funds

Alejano urged the HNP to investigate first before absolving anyone.

“Sino ba ang nagsasabi ng katotohanan sa lahat ng mga sumagot sa naturang isyu dahil magkakaiba ang kanilang pahayag? Mabuti sigurong mag-imbestiga muna sila bago mag-abswelto ng sino man,” he said.

Alejano also recounted how he had been accused of lying about past issues on Navy frigates, the control of Chinese Coast Guard and military in Sandy Cay and the harassment of Filipino soldiers in the West Philippine Sea.

“Lahat ng aking inilabas na impormasyon sa publiko ay napatunayang katotohanan,” he added.

“Hindi ako nagbibitaw ng mga salita na hindi ko kayang panindigan. Naniniwala ako na ang mga opisyal sa gobyerno ay dapat tapat sa taumbayan,” Alejano further said.

In a statement on Wednesday night, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno also assailed the presidential daughter’s remark, as he appealed the public to raise their standard for public servants.

“Malakas pa rin ang pananampalataya ko na matino at matapat na kandidato ang gusto ng Pilipino. Naniniwala pa rin ako na ang hinahanap nilang mga pinuno ay yung nagsasabi ng totoo. Sabi nga nila, ang taong nagsisinungaling sa maliit na bagay, lalong hindi mapagkakatiwalaan sa mas malaki at mas importanteng mga bagay,” Diokno added. /cbb

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