Palace: Vice Ganda interview showed Aquino’s lighter side

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Monday dismissed comments that President Benigno Aquino III’s interview with comedian-TV host Vice Ganda mostly drew negative reactions.

“I was checking Twitter yesterday. At least, that’s one of the ways where we gauge people’s reaction. It trended number one. And we saw from the comments that most of the comments were positive,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a Palace briefing.

Responding to a question, Lacierda said the interview on “Gandang Gabi Vice” was able to reveal the “lighter side of the President.”

“I think it came out positive to many of those who watched the interview with Vice Ganda,” he said.

Lacierda said he could not agree with those who said the interview drew negative reactions.

For those who had negative reactions, Lacierda said it was not meant to be a serious interview.

“Vice Ganda brought up the lighter side of the President and it was positive. And I think people came to empathize with the President on the daily routine on the burdens of government and we certainly hope that it showed that the President, after all, is not always serious,” he said.

During the interview, which aired on Sunday, Aquino revealed that he wants to have a girlfriend who is younger than him so he can still have a chance to have children.

Aquino said he enjoys singing and taking long drives.

Asked about certain government officials, he said he has long been friends with Vice President Jejomar Binay and suspended Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima.

Both Binay and Purisima are being accused of amassing ill-gotten wealth. While Purisima is an ally of Aquino, Binay is the opposition party’s standard-bearer for 2016.

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