MANILA - Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Thursday said she was only helping opposition candidates "dig themselves out of their own hole," when she remarked that honesty should not be made an issue this election season.

• Sara Duterte: Honesty should not be an election issue

"I'm helping the Black Hole candidates dig themselves out of their own hole when I say honesty should not be an issue," Duterte-Carpio said in a statement Thursday, referring to the candidates of the opposition slate Otso Diretso.

“They use inaccurate, misleading statements and even direct lies when they attack other candidates or President Duterte and they know they are stretching the truth and yet they deny that they are lying,” Duterte-Carpio said.

“That is the reason why they should not attack other candidates about honesty because they are themselves liars. And this is the truth. And this shows in their dismal performance in the race, people know they are not truthful,” the president's daughter added.

Duterte-Carpio issued her now controversial remark when she accused Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano of spreading fake news against senatorial bet Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, whose image and name were printed in souvenir kits of a government-funded program. Duterte-Carpio was also discussing isues hounding Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, who supposedly falsified her university records.

Go and Marcos are both supported by Duterte-Carpio's Hugpong ng Pagbabago.

Go has since denied knowledge over the illegal campaign materials and called on his supporters not to violate election rules.

Malacañang earlier said not all voters may be looking at honesty as an important qualification in choosing their candidates in the elections, as it addressed the statement of the President’s daughter.

• Palace: Not all voters looking for honest candidates

The constitution, however, under Article 2, Section 27 mandates the state to "maintain honesty and integrity in the public service and take positive and effective measures against graft and corruption."

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