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By Maricel V.
Cruz, Reporter
Team Unity
senatorial candidates are raring to joust with their Genuine
Opposition (GO) rivals in the series of debates scheduled by
business groups and the Commission on Elections.
Vicente
“Tito” Sotto 3rd told reporters during Team Unity’s sortie in
Rizal Friday he’s all psyched up about taking part in the debates.
“If you ask
me how I feel about it, I’m excited. In the last 17 years, I spent
12 years doing nothing but to [take part in the debates in Senate]
debates. And now, after three years of silence, I look forward to
debating again,” Sotto said.
He said he is
well prepared to face off with the opposition but was quick to point
out that it would depend on the issue or topic they would talk
about.
Prospero
“Butch” Pichay said if there is a topic he prefers it would be
how the opposition has contributed to the ballooning budget deficit
by creating an ambiance of destructive politics.
While GO will
field only five bets in the debates, all of Team Unity’s
candidates want to take part, Pichay said.
Even Jamalul
Kiram, who is described by Pichay as Team Unity’s “Mr. Cool”
for showing no signs of concern despite faring poorly in poll
ratings, said he is prepared to take on anyone in the opposition.
Commenting on
his No. 22 ranking in the last Social Weather Stations survey,
Pichay said he is actually satisfied with it because the survey
itself has indicated that his chances of making the Magic 12 has
greatly improved.
Pichay said
the SWS ratings are an indication that Team Unity candidates would
slowly gain ground as the campaign progresses, while the GO bets
have nowhere to go but down.
Sotto also
shrugged off the SWS survey where he placed eighth, stressing he has
yet to see an accurate survey for the senatorial race.
“Based on my
experience, these surveys are inaccurate. I have yet to see a survey
which has accurate predicted the outcome of a senatorial
election,” Sotto said.
Kiram said the
strong showing of GO would make its candidates overconfident. It
would also push the Team Unity bets to work even harder in their
campaign.
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