Alunan wins Rappler’s last senatorial debate – netizens

MANILA, Philippines – Former Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan III won the netizens’ favor during the the last leg of the Rappler Senatorial Debate series held at the FEU Institute of Technology on Friday, April 22.

Alunan was the top bet of 51.85% of the netizens who participated in Rappler’s online poll.

The retired public official said he is trying to make a comeback because he saw that the reforms they set under the administrations of former presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos are “slowly eroding away.”

Aside from being Ramos’ interior chief, Alunan also served as Aquino’s tourism secretary. 

If elected, he said that he would focus on pushing for good governance and reforming the criminal justice system, among others.

Alunan, an independent candidate, is running under the ticket of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. He was asked to comment on the presidential candidate’s promise to stop crime in 3 to 6 months.

He defended Duterte by saying that his plan is to weed out the corrupt members of the police force, the same as what he did when he was heading the Philippine National Police (PNP) as interior secretary.

Migrant workers rights advocate Susan Ople was the second favored candidate with 25.93% of respondents voting for her. The daughter of the late Senate President Blas Ople is running with Grace Poe’s Galing at Puso team. She is also a guest candidate of Vice President Jejomar Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance and of Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago’s ticket.

Retired Philippine National Police general and incumbent ACT-CIS Party-list Representative Samuel Pagdilao was the poll’s 3rd placer, garnering 13.89% of votes.

Another former member of the police force, Diosdado Valeroso, came in as far 4th with 3.7% of votes. He edged out former Quezon City Representative Dante Liban by just a percentage point. Liban only got the favor of 2.78% of the netizens who took the poll.

Meanwhile, labor lawyer Allan Montaño was the least favored candidate, getting only 1.85% of votes. – Rappler.com