MANILA, Philippines — Former Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales has officially entered the race to Malacañang, with him filing on Wednesday before the Commission on Elections his candidacy for president under the Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas.
Addressing the media after he filed his candidacy, Gonzales said it is time to change the “rotten” politics he said is prevailing in the country.
Related Stories
“We have always been saying, as a party, that ang talagang sumisira sa kinabukasan natin at ang hindi magandang pagtakbo ng gobyerno ay yung hindi magandang paggamit ng pulitika dito sa atin,” he said.
(We have always been saying, as a party, that what is wrecking our future and the reason for the ugly way that our government is being run is the ugly way politics is being used here.)
Gonzales floated the possibility of changing the Constitution and shifting to a parliamentary form of government, but it was not clear whether he would actually pursue these reforms.
He admitted that he is not a well-known and rich politician, unlike some of the contenders for the presidency, but said he is relying on his party, which he has chaired since 1973 and his experience in government to carry him through the campaign.
Gonzales was former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s defense secretary from July to August 2007 and from November 2009 to June 2010. Prior to this, he was National Security Adviser from February 2005 until his appointment as defense chief.