Speaking before a crowd of some 24,000 Novo Ecijanos, senatorial candidate Francis Tolentino said he can debate with the entire Otso Diretso team at any given time.
He joined other members of Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP)-endorsed candidates in a campaign sortie at the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST) grandstand in Cabanatuan City.
“Tolentino is a potential president of the country.”
Tolentino, who was introduced by HNP chair, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as a “potential president of the country,” said their rivals are circulating rumors talks that the HNP team is afraid to debate.
“Kung sino man ang nagsasabi nun, kahit anong oras po, kahit silang walo (Whoever said that, we can debate anytime, even with all eight of them)” he said.
Meanwhile, reelectionist Senator Sonny Angara lauded the signing into law by President Rodrigo Duterte of the Universal Health Care which he had authored.
Tolentino and Angara were with other administration candidates Jiggy Manicad, Pia Cayetano, Jinggoy Estrada, Bato dela Rosa and Bong Revilla during the Nueva Ecija sortie.
Dong Mangudadatu was represented by his wife Geraldine and former Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Bong Go was represented by actor Philip Salvador.
Before speaking at the sortie that was hosted by former Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali who is running for the gubernatorial post, the younger Duterte met with Umali’s rivals, gubernatorial bet former Gen. Tinio Mayor Virgilio Bote and Mayor Julius Cesar Vergara of this city.
Umali, along with his wife, incumbent Governor Czarina Umali, leads the Unang Sigaw Partido ng Pagbabago while Bote and Vergara head the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban) party in the province.