An old post of Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto about ballot secrecy resurfaced on Facebook ahead of the 2022 national and local polls.
In March 2019, he shared a screenshot of a tweet of Director James Jimenez, spokesperson of the Commission on Elections, months before the midterm elections at that time.
“Reminder from COMELEC Spokesperson James Jimenez,” Sotto wrote on his Facebook page.
“Walang makakabasa ng laman ng balota mo. Huwag maniniwala sa mga nanakot na nagsasabing kaya nilang ma-diskubre kung sino ang binoto mo. Nagsisinungaling ‘yang mga ‘yan para mapilitan kang iboto ang mga manok nila. Huwag magpalinlang. #VoterEd #NLE2019,” he added, quoting Jimenez’s tweet.
“#VoterEd” refers to voter education, a campaign of Comelec, while “#NLE2019” refers to the national and local elections in 2019.
Sotto’s post earned 7,200 reactions and 14,000 shares on the social networking platform.
It was shared months before the 2019 midterm elections, when he ran against then-reelectionist Pasig City Mayor Bobby Eusebio whose clan has ruled the city for decades.
Sotto’s post once again gained traction in 2022 as Filipinos anticipate another elections this May.
“‘Wag niyo ibenta kinabukasan ng mga anak at magiging apo niyo,” a Facebook user wrote in the comments on March 9.
“Huwag paloko sa mga manloloko. Bumoto ayon sa gusto mo. Iboto ang mga matitinong pulitiko at huwag ibenta ang boto mo,” another Filipino said on March 12.
“Isang palinlang na naman niyan, huwag maniwala. Kayo’y bumuto ng karapat dapat sa iyong konsiyensiya, huwag iboto ang mga magnanakaw at mga sinungaling,” a different Facebook user said on March 18.
The national elections will be held on May 9 this year. Filipinos will vote for their next leaders who will steer the country amid the backdrop of a prevailing COVID-19 pandemic.
The election will elect the next president, vice president, 12 senators and 316 representatives in the Congress, as well as governors and vice governors, and mayors and vice mayors.
Those running for president are former Duterte spokesperson Ernesto Abella, entrepreneur Faisal Mangondato, labor leader Leody De Guzman, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, former defense chief Norberto Gonzales, Sen. Ping Lacson, former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., physician Jose Montemayor, Sen. Manny Pacquiao, and Vice President Leni Robredo.
Those running for vice president are Rep. Lito Atienza (Buhay party-list), former congressman Walden Bello, radio commentator Rizalito David, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, economist Manny SD Lopez, physician Willie Ong, lawyer Carlos Serapio, and Senate President Tito Sotto III.
Meanwhile, Vico is gunning for the mayoral seat in Pasig City anew.
