The thieves in the streets pick their victims. The thieves in government are picked by their victims.
Using this irony, Partido Reporma chairman and presidential aspirant Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson appealed to Filipinos Monday to be discerning in casting their votes on May 9.
“Ang magnanakaw sa kalsada, pumipili ng nanakawan at nanakawin: biktimang walang laban upang agawin ang kanyang gamit – alahas man o salaping pinaghirapan, o anumang mahalagang ari-arian. Samantala, ang magnanakaw sa gobyerno, mamamayang Pilipino ang pumipili tuwing sasapit ang halalan. Tayo pa nga ang ‘nagsi-shade’ ng kanyang pangalan sa balota. At hindi siya namimili ng nanakawin. Wala siyang pakialam kung ang kanyang ninanakaw ay ang ating mga karapatan sa edukasyon, hanapbuhay, kalusugan at maayos at masaganang pamumuhay, at higit sa lahat, ang kinabukasan ng kabataan (The thieves in the streets pick their victims and take their valuables. The thieves in government are picked by the people who mark their names in the ballots on Election Day. They rob their victims of so much more – their education, livelihood, health and the future of the youth),” he said in his message for National Bible Day 2022.
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