MANILA, Philippines – For National Youth Commission (NYC) chairman Ronald Cardema, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte’s statement about honesty – that it was the trait of political candidates – was taken out of context.

According to Cardema, Sara was just “angered by mudslinging, lies, and political attacks” against the administration of her father, President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a statement sent to media on Friday, March 8, Cardema told youth voters Sara Duterte was just being honest. Cardema explained, “The Presidential Daughter was just being honest when she said that our society is already full of mudslinging and lies.”

Cardema then hit leftist youth leaders who went against the government and criticized it. (READ: NYC chief asks Duterte to remove scholarships of ‘rebellious students’)

“We have radical leftist youth leaders who preach about their patriotism yet blatantly lie… regarding their support for armed rebels in burning our cellsites, in killing our government troops, and in extorting from the Filipino People,” his statement read.

Cardema said that Philippine politics is “full of promises, lies, and mudslinging just to survive elections,” adding the Duterte administration is trying to change this.

He called on the youth to not vote for candidates who support leftist movements that are against the government.

“We enjoin the millions of youth voters not to vote for those who support the leftist armed rebellion in our country, do not vote for those who are involved in illegal drugs, and do not vote for those who are trying to bring down our government and those who attack our government leaders instead of helping them strengthen the Philippine Republic,” Cardema said.

Sara Duterte recently defended senatorial candidate Imee Marcos from critics slamming Marcos for the controversy regarding her academic degrees. (READ: FALSE: Imee Marcos ‘earned degree from Princeton’)

Sara went on to say that academic degrees should not be an issue, because “everyone lies anyway.”

“Walang isang kandidato diyan na hindi nagsisinungaling, kaya hindi dapat nagiging issue ang honesty ngayon,” Sara on Wednesday, March 6, in Parañaque City. (There’s no candidate who doesn’t lie, that’s why honesty shouldn’t be an issue now.)

But for Vice President Leni Robredo, there should be no debate about it. For her, honesty is a must for anyone who wants to hold public office. (READ: Robredo: If you’re not honest, don’t run for public office)

“Ang honesty, napakalaking factor sa integrity ng isang tao. Kung wala kang ganun, dapat hindi mo iniisip maglingkod kasi paano ka makakapaglingkod kung may problema ka sa sarili mo?” she said. (Honesty is a big factor in a person’s integrity. If you don’t have that, you shouldn’t think of serving because how will you serve if you have a problem with yourself?)

Angered netizens

Netizens appeared dismayed by Sara’s remark and discussed the issue online.

Some of them hit the composition of the Hukbong Pagbabago slate which includes Imee Marcos, who is under fire for lying about her academic degrees. (READ: FALSE: Imee Marcos ‘graduated cum laude from UP College of Law’)

What are your thoughts about the issue? Does a candidate’s honesty matter to you in the upcoming elections? – Rappler.com