Senator Franklin Drilon on Tuesday showed a footage of former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) chairman Manuel "Manoling" Morato openly endorsing defeated administration presidential bet Gilbert Teodoro and criticizing Senators Teofisto Guingona III and Francis Escudero. Drilon showed a clip of an episode of the PCSO-funded television program "Dial M" aired last May 5, 2010 on PTV 4 where Morato and co-host Maggie Dela Riva were wearing Teodoro's campaign pins. It likewise showed Morato criticizing Escudero for being "pa-cute," "ang lamya magsalita, and supposedly acting like a drug addict. The former PCSO chairman likewise called Guingona, who was then a senatorial candidate under the Liberal Party, a liar. "Nagsalita na naman yung TG something Guingona... di ko naman iboboto yun. Talaga naman sinungaling yung Guingona na yun (That Guingona is saying something again. I won't vote for him. That Guingona is a liar)," Morato was shown as saying in the clip. "Andami nating hindi dapat iboto... masyado silang (There are so many candidates who should not be voted. They're) conceited people... they should not sit in the Senate. They have no breeding," he added.
Number 8 Morato also said in the clip that he and Dela Riva would advise viewers to vote for better candidates, specifically Teodoro and defeated vice presidential bet Edu Manzano. "
Wag ninyong kakalimutan itong 8, sa balota 8 (Don't forget number 8, on your ballots number 8)," he said. Teodoro was number 8 on the 2010 poll ballots. Morato was already earlier
criticized for openly campaigning for Teodoro using his program. During the previous Senate hearing, however, he said that he could say anything because he wasn't paid to host the program. But Drilon on Tuesday said that he showed the video clip to put on record the "extent" of the abuses committed with PCSO funds. "You were campaigning. If you do not call that campaigning, I do not know what else that is. I do not know what got into your head just to disregard our election laws," he said. Drilon likewise said that what's worse was that Morato was part of the PCSO board that approved the P5 million funding for IBC 13 to replay episodes of Dial M. He also said that P27 million was spent to air Dial M from 2005 to 2010. Morato, however, said it was the board's idea to help out IBC by giving them the replays. "I should have not signed that (resolution)
pero tutulungan talaga ng board ang IBC (but the board was really going to help IBC anyway)," he said.
Manoling apologizes But before the Senate hearing ended, Morato apologized to Escudero and Guingona, saying that he did not mean what he said on the program. "I would just like to ask for your forgiveness for what I said in that comedy show. It was a comedy show, Dial M by the way. So would you please kindly accept my forgiveness from Sen. Escudero as well," he told Guingona. Guingona accepted his apology. "(It's) nothing personal, nothing personal. I accept your apology sir," the senator said while laughing. Drilon, however, said that being a comedian does not exempt him from violating the Election Code. Morato, however, said that he does not mind. "As long as I've been forgiven, it is alright with me," he said.
— RSJ, GMA News 
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