Palace: OFW groups have right to campaign for ‘zero votes’ for LP bets

OFWs may vote however they please, even if it robs presidential picks of essential votes, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte stated on Saturday.
 
Valte explained in a radio briefing on DZRB radio that Filipinos were welcome to their "zero-vote" campaign against candidates of the Liberal Party as part of their rights as citizens.
 
"Karapatan po nilang mamili kung sino po iyong gusto nilang iboto sa darating na eleksyon. Ang inaasahan lang po natin ay, siyempre, mababase po ito sa plataporma, mababase po ito doon sa ano po ba iyong ikagaganda pa ng ating bansa, at iyong ikabubuti pa ho ng buhay ng ating mga pamilya," she said.
 
Migrante International asked OFWs to refrain from voting for LP candidates on Thursday due to the government's alleged lack of concern for Filipino workers abroad.
 
The plea was made a day before their "zero-remittance" protest against the Bureau of Customs' halted physical inspections of balikbayan boxes.
 
President Communications Operations Office  Secretary Herminio Coloma criticized the pro-migrant group's actions and called it an insult to the intelligence of OFWs.
 
"Masyado naman nilang tinatawaran ang katalinuhan at pagiging makatuwiran ng ating mga Boss, ang sambayanang Pilipino, sa pagpapalutang ng ganyang klaseng pagbabanta," Coloma stated on GMA News TV's "Balita Pilipinas" last Thursday.
 
Meanwhile, Valte affirmed that the government will learn of the effects of Friday's events next month.
 
"Well, one, hindi po kami humihingi ng monitoring pagdating po sa ganyan. Normally, ang monitoring po kasi ng remittances parang na-ca-capature po yata on a monthly basis, kung hindi po ako nagkakamali. So hindi naman po tayo humihingi ng report doon," she said.
— Rie Takumi/JDS, GMA News

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