POE ASKS CANDIDATES, SUPPORTERS TO RUN A TRUTHFUL CAMPAIGN

SANTA MARIA, PANGASINAN--With just over a month left in the campaign period, leading presidential aspirant Sen. Grace Poe called on all candidates and their supporters to be truthful in their campaign.

Poe made the appeal during a media interview in Santa Maria, Pangasinan, where she was campaigning with running mate Sen. Francis Escudero and the senatorial bets of their Partido Galing at Puso.

"Sa lahat ng bagay, lahat tayo dapat sumunod sa kung ano ang nararapat at ihayag ang katotohanan, sa ano mang bagay--advertising man, sa trabaho natin, o sa pag-iikot natin at kausap natin ang ating mga kababayan, sa personal na buhay natin," she said when asked about "truth in advertising" in reaching out to the electorate.

Poe, who is untainted by corruption, said deceit has no place in public service.

"Walang lugar ang pagsisinungaling sa kahit na anong landas na tatahakin natin--sa gobyerno man o sa pribadong sektor," she said.

The lone independent candidate has consistently said that she will run a clean campaign and will never resort to traditional mudslinging.

In an interview with TV5 shortly after the Supreme Court ruled in her favor last March 8, Poe said her road to the presidency has been the toughest, with rivals and critics questioning everything, even her citizenship.

An advocate of transparency and credibility in government, Poe vowed that her first executive order, should she win in the elections, is Freedom of Information for all executive offices while legislation is pending in Congress.

The FOI seeks to implement the constitutional right of citizens to information on matters of public concern. It opens government transactions to public scrutiny and introduces a new level of accountability as it holds government officials responsible for their actions or inaction.