‘They can stand toe to toe’: Drilon backs Kiko-Bam for Senate

Manila Bulletin

Former senate president Franklin Drilon vouched for the tracks records and dedication to public service of former senators Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino, saying that Filipinos need them in the Senate. (Video courtesy of Bam Aquino)  READ: https://mb.com.ph/2025/3/6/they-can-stand-toe-to-toe-drilon-backs-kiko-bam-for-senate  Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5664f6TkaeHgwBly50DWZQ/join  Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin  Visit our website at http://mb.com.ph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin  Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/manila_bulletin Instagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletin Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manilabulletin  #ManilaBulletinOnline #ManilaBulletin #LatestNews

Transcript

00:00I am pleased to be here, glad to be able to join you this afternoon, and I have only one

00:27purpose in this afternoon's press briefing. I am endorsing fully and asking for your help,

00:43virtually, to help Iko, Pangilinan, and Balma. Members of the press, I was in the Senate

00:54for 24 years. If there are people qualified to be in the Senate, it is Iko and Balma.

01:03I have worked with the two of them, but before I go into that, let me tell you some personal

01:10experiences I had. Iko, Pangilinan, let me tell you, this happened when we were working

01:19on the candidacy of Lenny Roberto. I was offered the Vice Presidency by Lenny. I was not prepared.

01:32I nominated Iko. And at the time, Iko had a good chance of winning the Senate seat.

01:43But Iko believes in good governance. Iko believes in good leadership. But we thought Iko would

01:54only be a placeholder. And after a while, that he would give way to a more permanent candidate

02:05for Vice President. And this is a personal experience. That was our understanding, that we would

02:13first nominate Iko, and then afterwards, when we have another candidate, we can substitute Iko.

02:22But Iko, I take my hat off to him. At a certain point, he said, Boss, let's continue the fight.

02:32Nakapuna ako kahit na may laban ako sa Senado, I will run as Vice President because I believe

02:40in good governance. And that is the kind of person Iko Pangilinan is. He was a member

02:47of the Pinoy cabinet. Wala kapo na kapatid, gabi siya nagawad, siya sabi, saka sapo mabugas

02:54sa kanyang Iko. He was running the National Code of Conduct. Kag sa kadugay, sa akong

03:01sa gobyerno, mabalaan ko dara ang kumisyong, sa importasyon, sa bukasin. But I have not

03:10heard anything about Iko being involved in any anomaly. And indeed, his sense of loyalty,

03:23his sense of believing in principles of good governance, made him sacrifice. He slapped

03:31in the Senate at that time. And continued to run as the Vice President of the Navy,

03:39with in fact, nakalaban ni Chaco Balacar, but he was loyal to the cause of good governance.

03:47That is why he continued the quest for Vice President, not to stand in the eyes. And that

03:56is why it is my full admiration that I supported and campaigned for Iko at that time, and I

04:03continue to support him today. I just hope to convince more of our Kapabayan, our Ilongos,

04:11that Iko deserves to be returned to the Senate. So that is what I am asking our Kasibanu as

04:19well. Trust me, I have been in the Senate, and if there are two competent people who

04:25deserve to be in the Senate, it is Iko and Bawin. And Bawin, I am asking all of you,

04:33to help him win in the Senate. You know, I was their campaign manager of the ticket

04:41in 2013. In 2013, I was their campaign manager. And Bawin won in that campaign. Let me tell

04:54you a secret. His wife was a better speaker than me. In fact, I was saying, we will not

05:02survive if we don't have a wife. But anyway, that's right. But when he became the Senator,

05:09as a freshman Senator, as a unified Senator, he tackled the most difficult bills that we

05:16could take up in the Senate. The Competition Act, my goodness gracious. Ako hindi ko na

05:22hindihan, but si BAM nag-aaral, siya ang nagtuon sa mabudlay na layi, at siya ang nagpipitinin

05:31para sa maging layi itong competition mo. Of course, mabudlay hindi ipaliwanag sa atin

05:39ka si Manuel, but he created a better business environment for our country which enabled

05:47us to generate more employment opportunities. Number two, you know, ako hindi pa ngayon

05:56sa inyong kader. Dago ang utang ko sa kina-family. Sa upisa ako kapag ka-Secretary of Labor,

06:06kapag ka-Justice Secretary, Executive Secretary, bangun. I was a Senator and Senate President

06:17because of Pinoy. And mainly most of the improvements and progress that I've brought here is because

06:30of the support of Pinoy and Koli. So baka po ang ako niyang utang sa kina-family.

06:39Pag-ayaw ko sa inyo, may ganyuan kong babayaran ang ako ng utang sa kina-family by voting for BAM

06:48at Kino and returning him to the Senate. So sa ako, why na si Ivana qualified? They can stand 2-2 with anyone

07:01in this field. They can stand 2-2 to compare how they have performed in the past to be entitled

07:09to be in support. So that is why ako hindi pa ngayon sa atin mga Kasimanuwa. Burin lang natin

07:16ang mga... hindi lang ang mga artista, hindi ang... walang wapo, walang marawi, hindi. Artista

07:23hindi walang... artista akin lang. So my dear friends, mga Kasimanuwa, I will campaign hard for these 2 people

07:35here in the city and probably also in Kino. And we'll all be long-speaking with you because I feel

07:42that Pico and BAM are most qualified for your support. They're most qualified for us Filipinos

07:51to be proud that we're local people and BAM in the Senate. Thank you very much.

Category

Transcript

Recommended