PRESIDENTIAL RACE SHOULD NOT BE ABOUT MONEY BUT GOOD LEADERSHIP - GORDON

Following Senator Panfilo Lacson's withdrawal from the 2010 Presidential race, Senator Richard J. Gordon expressed the grim observation that the gargantuan expenses of waging a Presidential campaign is indeed a great obstacle for a lot of Presidential candidates who would otherwise make good leaders in running for the highest office in the land.

"This just confirms what had earlier been said by Senator Manuel Villar in a recent interview with Reuters," Gordon said. In such interview, Senator Villar advised Presidential aspirants that "if you can't even raise one billion pesos, why even run?"

"Right now, the numerous Presidential surveys and media advertisements already condition the mind of the people and dictate upon them long before the actual campaign period," stated Gordon. "All these entail huge costs and are paid for by the moneyed Presidential aspirants who inevitably get undue advantage in the 2010 Presidential race," Gordon added.

"The law prohibits election campaign outside the campaign period, which is set 90 days before the election. The media advertisements, especially on radio and television, that have no other purpose but for campaign and political purposes only should be stopped by the Commission on Elections," declared Gordon.