MANILA — Two lawmakers criticized the statement of PDP-Laban urging voters to elect senators, who will be allies of Vice President Sara Duterte, saying Filipinos should vote based on candidates’ platforms and not to protect one person. 

“So ‘yun ang basis ng buong kampanya nila, is to add more numbers to help the Vice President. Makikita n’yo naman po sa mga ibang kandidato, plataporma po ang ibinibida nila at sakai pinapakita nila sa taong bayan. So, dapat po ‘yung tao doon naka-focus, sa plataporma po, hindi po ‘yung pagprotekta lang ng interes ng isang tao,” House Deputy Majority Leader and La Union 1st District Representative Francisco Paolo Ortega V said.

“I do agree na sinabi piliin natin maiigi, pero ano ba ang tamang basehan? Is it because para sa isang tao or para sa bansa natin? At the end of the day, dapat pro-Philippines ang mga pipiliin natin,” House Assistant Majority Leader and Manila City 1st District Representative Ernesto Dionisio added.

In a statement last February 6, PDP Laban called on Filipino voters to choose their senators wisely, noting that the Senate will decide on the fate of the Vice President, who will be the subject of an impeachment trial. A vote of two-thirds of all members of the Senate is needed to convict the Vice President and remove her from office.

“At the end of the day, impeachment is a numbers game and the more allies she has in the Senate, the better for our country,” the statement read.