Admin bets can be effective fiscalizers too — Tolentino

By Ben Rosario

Administration senatorial bets can be effective fiscalizers to the Duterte government and there is nothing wrong with it.

Former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino aired this view as he slammed the opposition for insisting that a Senate that features mainly “yes men” is not “compatible with democracy.”

Hugpong ng Pagbabago senatorial bet Francis Tolentino (Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)

Tolentino noted that the opposition “Otso Diretso” may have misinterpreted the meaning of democracy.

“Ang demokrasya naman ay kung ano ang kagustuhan ng karamihan sa mga mamamayan,” explained Tolentino, who is among the 13 senatorial bets endorsed by Hugpong ng Pagbabago.

Tolentino pointed out that not because they are candidates of the Duterte administration, they are incapable of acting as fiscalizers in the Senate.

“Kahit HNP man, meron siguro magsasabi na ito ang dapat hindi gawin. HNP may bloom to be a fiscalizer,” he said. (Even in the HNP, somebody may say this is not what should be done)

The former Malacanang official said he is ready to debate on the issue with the opposition.

Earlier, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno chided President Rodrigo Duterte for attacking the opposition for doing nothing but to criticize his administration.

Diokno said criticizing the administration is ‘the mark of a democracy.”

“Yes, men are not compatible with democracy. We can strengthen our leaders by pointing out what they are doing that is wrong,” said Diokno, a senatorial bet of Otso Diretso.