MANILA, Philippines?President Aquino paid an unscheduled visit to the Malacañang press room late Friday afternoon to clarify reports that he had added yet another luxury vehicle?an armored Lexus?to his personal fleet of cars.

Some news reports had it that the armored vehicle, which the President was seen riding in when he visited survivors of the January 25 bomb blast on Edsa, was the latest addition to Mr. Aquino?s car collection, after a white Porsche sports car he purchased recently.

?I didn?t purchase it,? President Aquino said when asked if the Lexus was indeed worth almost P7 million.

The President told reporters the vehicle had been leased by a brother-in-law for him.

When journalists pressed him to comment on the propriety of using a vehicle loaned by a private individual, the President appeared irritated and chided the press on their news sense.

?You know why I went here today? We had that turnover to the national treasury of P29 billion. Why didn?t anybody ask me about that? Last year, the remittance was just P9 billion,? the President said.

?Shouldn?t we prioritize the increase in the funds of the national treasury? You might want to include in your story that I didn?t cause a decrease in the funds of the government,? he added.

After saying that the only vehicles he owned were a Toyota Land Cruiser from his days as a senator, a Ford Everest from 2005, and his recently purchased P4.5-million ?third-hand? Porsche, President Aquino said it was the last time he?d be discussing cars.

?Twenty-nine billion pesos went into the national treasury, additional funds for the government?s expenses. Only P9 billion went in last year (from the GOCCs)? (and) here we are talking about cars that haven?t impacted the economy,? the President said.

Mr. Aquino said the choice was between having to buy a brand new armored presidential vehicle that would cost the government P15 million to P20 million or use a leased unit to address the need for secure transport ?as well as my need not to spend the people?s money.?

The President said he was making do with a Fokker F-28 airplane bought by President Ferdinand Marcos in 1983 and a helicopter bought by the Ramos administration despite the safety and security risks of riding in old aircraft.

?Since I want to avoid additional expenses, I have to take a bit of a risk,? President Aquino said.

He said the bullet-proof Mercedez Benz limousine that was passed down from the previous administration had to be repaired three times during the first five times that it was used.

He said it was flood-damaged when Tropical Storm ?Ondoy? hit Malacañang?s Freedom Park in September 2009.

?How many of you will recommend that I not ride in an armored vehicle?? President Aquino said.

He said he?d rather use his Land Cruiser but added that doing so would make life difficult for the Presidential Security Group.