AKSYON Demokratiko presidential bet and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno bared that after declaring his bid for the presidency come 2022 elections, many hurtful words attacking his roots as a product of poverty have been hurled at him.

“May ilan na di matanggap na basurero lang ang mamumuno sa kanila. Sila ang mga pinagpalang may gintong kutsara sa bibig… sila ang magaling at may mataas na moral ascendancy kaysa sa iba kaya di nila matanggap,” Moreno sighed, at the sidelines of his visit to Lipa City in Batangas over the weekend.

Moreno admitted he is hurt that even in this day and age, those belonging to higher society continue to widen the gap between the rich and the poor by denying those who come from the poor sector equal chance and opportunity to serve the country or at least give the highest position in the land a shot.

“”Marami nagsalita sa akin, hindi ninyo malalamon…lahat ng masasakit nasabi na sa akin. Kahapon lamang, tinawag pa akong porno star. Di naman, ST (sex trip movies) lang. Akalain mo, pati brief ko?” Moreno said in his emotionally-charged speech before Lipa officials.

“Totoo po masakit eh. Para bang pag mahirap ka, wala ka nang karapatang umangat dahil di ka katanggap- tanggap sa kanila…. mga moralista, mga disente— disente kuno. Pag di ka sumang-ayon sa kanila, sa impiyerno ka mapupunta. Wala na ba kaming karapatang magbago ang buhay? Gusto niyo na lang ba kaming turuan araw-araw para kayong mga puppeteers kami yung mga puppet?,” he added.

The mayor pointed that for the past 30 years, the political scene in the country had been dominated by the feud between two rival families that did the country no good, in apparent reference to the continued Marcos-Aquino squabble.

It will be recalled that Vice President Leni Robredo, who is president of the Liberal Party identified with the Aquino family, was quoted as having stated that her stance against the Marcoses is non-negotiable and that it was one of the reasons why she ran and her supposed unity talks with Moreno did not push through.

When asked by a television reporter to comment on what Robredo had said, Moreno was bashed by her supporters.

“Kaming galing sa wala na nagsumikap, me karapatan din kaming ipagtanggol ang aming dignidad. It doesn’t mean pag sumagot, bastos na agad? Matapobre tawag dun. Kung me na-offend, I’m sorry. Di ako anghel, di ako perpekto but everyone who is being asked and accused must answer. Di porke mahirap kami, pag sumagot kami bastos na. But that is water under the bridge, move on na,” Moreno said.

Moreno stressed that he is running not to exact vengeance on anyone or any political family but to truly offer hope to all Filipinos that there is still a chance for a much better life, believing that everything he had done for Manilans can be replicated in the entire country.

The mayor said his life is an open book and he is not ashamed of his past as a garbage collector and a slum dweller in Tondo, saying he rose above the situation through hard work and reached more than what he aimed for, all on his own and without the backing of any family member occupying a high place in government.

Moreno added that in fact, he is hoping to inspire those who have less in life that if he was able to succeed in life, they can too.

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Itchie G. Cabayan