STATEMENT OF THE ADVOCATES FOR NATIONAL INTEREST

(ANI) ON THE 2019 MID-TERM ELECTIONS

April 5, 2019

In May 2019 the Filipino people will once again go to the polls to elect national
and local leaders who will occupy various positions in government. They will
exercise their constitutional right of suffrage, hoping that their choices will lead us
to peace, progress and stability.

We, the Advocates for National Interest (ANI) composed of retired military officers
who collectively possess experience and education in public service, diplomacy,
defense and security, legislation, and public order and safety, unite with the
people in exercising their freedom to select from among the candidates those
who have manifest competence, honesty, dedication, morality and patriotism.

We appreciate the recent government announcement that corruption is a social

scourge that must be addressed squarely to effect a lasting national development
and reecho Abraham Lincoln’s view that if one cannot resolve to be honest in a
given position then he or she could look for another occupation where honesty is
not required. We subscribe to the constitutional provision that “public office is a
public trust” to mean that public officials should have a strong foundation of core
values and principles like honesty because “for ordinary transactions of daily life,
we have to believe that most people are telling the truth most of the time.”

We postulate that during these challenging times the country needs leaders to
inspire our younger generations who shall inherit our patrimony, culture and
traditions. Let us therefore elect candidates with vision, character, and will to
become the proper role models of our youth, specially our students and school
children.

We believe that the conduct of the forthcoming political exercise in an honest,

peaceful and orderly environment would allow proper selection of candidates
who are God-fearing, averse to corruption, competent, and people-oriented. This
behooves strict adherence to the proverb: “Honesty is the best policy.”

Finally we firmly believe that the Filipino people, if democratic principles and way
of life were to reign and flourish, deserve no less than honest and corruption-free
elections, leaders with integrity and credible institutions.
!