MANILA - Everybody lies anyway.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio had this to say Wednesday as she asserted that honesty should not be an issue in this year’s elections, defending her candidates under the regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) accused of dishonesty and corruption.

Duterte-Carpio lashed out at Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, one of the candidates from the opposition slate Otso Diretso, for claiming that government funds were used in campaign t-shirts of HNP bet Christopher Lawrence “Bong Go,” which were distributed during a public assembly attended by barangay officials.

• Bong Go shirts distributed in paid Liga ng mga Barangay event

She said Alejano lied about the matter.

“You know, nagsisinungaling si Alejano when he said that galing sa government funds ang t-shirt na inilagay sa kits… So what shall we do about Alejano who is lying through his teeth about his dishonesty?” Duterte-Carpio told reporters at the sidelines of an HNP campaign sortie in Parañaque.

(You know, Alejano was lying when he said government funds were used for the t-shirts placed inside the kits. So what shall we do about Alejano who is lying through his teeth about his dishonesty?)

“Sinasabi ko sa kanilang lahat: Walang isang kandidato d'yan na hindi nagsisinungaling kaya hindi dapat nagiging issue ang honesty ngayon.”

(I tell them all that there is no single candidate who does not lie so honesty should not be an issue now.)

Duterte-Carpio said Alejano and his fellow opposition candidates also “deliberately say false statements” against the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Lahat sila sinungaling, lahat ng tao sa mundong ito sinungaling,” she said.

(All of them lie. Everyone in this world is a liar.)

The white polo shirts with Go's face and campaign logos were distributed as part of the first Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas National Assembly event kit, where the registration fee cost between P13,800 and P19,800, Alejano said in a statement.

"Ang kanilang registration fee at iba pang expenses ay charged sa local funds as per DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) Memorandum Circular 2019-23. Ibig sabihin charged sa pondo ng gobyerno," Alejano said.

(Their registration fee and other expenses are charged to local funds as per DILG Memorandum Circular 2019-23. It means it's charged to government funds.)

Go denied Alejano’s claim and said his supporters distributed the shirts without his consent.

“Wala po akong idea (about that), tanungin na lang po nila ang organizers. Pakiusap ko po sa lahat na huwag niyo gamitin pangalan ko without my knowledge and consent,” Go said in a chance interview on Tuesday.

(I have no idea about that. Let’s ask the organizers. I plead to everyone not to use my name without my consent.)

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año also vouched for Go.

“That's a big fake news! Liga ng Barangay is an independent activity initiated by the national league officers. They have their own organizers. I just provided the guidelines so that the activity is in accordance with the law,” Año told reporters.

“I will never allow any irregularity in my department much more spend funds for unauthorized activity. 'Yung gumawa ng allegations ang hanapan mo ng proof rather than entertaining fake news.”

(You should ask proof from those who made the allegations rather than entertaining fake news.)

In his campaign sortie speeches, Go said he would push for the crafting of a magna carta for barangay officials.

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