People’s Reform Party presidential bet Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago cast her vote before 7 a.m. yesterday, urging voters to “guard their votes.”
Santiago was in high spirits and was wearing a red dress, her campaign color, as she cast her vote at precinct 4257A at the La Vista Loyola Grand Villas clubhouse in Quezon City.
She said she woke up early, ate her breakfast, took up all her vitamins and medication before she cast her vote.
After casting her vote, Santiago urged voters to protect their votes and make sure that poll watchers are always in place.
“Sana ay manatili doon hanggang sa counting na para matulungan ang mga poll watchers. Importante ang papel ng mga poll watchers,” she said.
“Pag-ingatan ang balota dahil ang paglalagyan pala ng balota ngayon ay cardboard lang,” she added.
While Santiago lost in the 1992 presidential polls, there were rumors that the elections had been rigged. Santiago however said she is now wiser because of her experiences after the 1992 polls.
“Maybe in the past I was more healthy and more energetic and more creative but today, I have what I did not have in 1992: I have wisdom borne of my experience in government,” she said. “You cannot write about these things in books.
You have to actually do them in the field.”
Santiago meanwhile said she only voted for eight or nine senatorial candidates.