Let’s be patriotic Filipinos and let’s make our votes count

Are they or aren’t they guilty as alleged in connection with the overpriced Makati City Hall Building II?

For those who missed the flurry of accusations surfaced during the Senate hearings over a year ago against Vice President Jejomar Binay and his son then Makati Mayor Junjun Binay’s role in the anomalies that attended the construction of the Makati City Hall, I urge you to read Inquirer’s March 12 editorial. Absolutely nothing could be clearer and more helpful to the electors as they ponder who among the presidential wannabes in the May 2016 election they will vote for.

Of course, even now that an official report from the Commission on Audit has concurred with the Senate blue ribbon committee’s findings that the construction cost of that controversial building was overpriced, the Vice President continues mouthing the same tired excuse: The accusations are nothing more than “a part of a demolition job” to derail his candidacy.

As the editorial also pointed out, “Binays camp is outraged that such a damning report would come out in the middle of the election campaign period…”  Gee, sorry about that but, being a lawyer himself, with a bunch of (brilliant?) lawyers on his side, didn’t the Vice President (and his camp) ever figure that it just might happen. As the editorial clearly hinted, he should have, early on, grabbed the bull by the horn, so to speak, before the whole shebang reaches that point exactly when the public is making up their mind as to whom to entrust their sacred vote?

To the voting public, please read the editorial with an open mind and learn something from it to avoid being taken for a ride again, the way we have been for so long by slick, sly and sleazy politicians. We definitely deserve better than cheap goodies thrown into the air for us to catch as the candidates go on street parades. Be wary of freebies.  Believe me, we won’t have to depend on handouts if we make this country great again as it was once was. We have it in our power to make that happen.

For our future’s sake, let’s be true patriotic Filipinos and let’s make our votes count. For once, let’s show our love for our country. Let’s vote for a candidate not because his/her name is familiar, or he/she is famous, or he/she is rich. Vote for a candidate for his/her good character, ability and clean record, and certainly not for his/her promises.

—JUANITO T. FUERTE, [email protected]