Legarda: Government posts should not be for sale

MANILA, Philippines — Outgoing Senator Loren Legarda reminded public servants on Thursday that positions in government are not for sale.

Legarda, chair of the Senate committee on finance, said this when asked in a regular Kapihan sa Senado about the alleged vote-buying in the speakership battle in the House of Representatives.

“I’ve read about it in media. I hope that it’s untrue because positions in government, even in the legislature, should not be for sale,” she said.

“So I read it but there are denials so we just give everyone the benefit of the doubt,” said the senator, who was elected Representative of Antique.

It was former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who earlier said that those eyeing for the top post in the House must be willing to shell out between P500,000 and P1 million for each congressman to win their vote.

“Purposely, I did not approach funders to give out P500,000 to P1 million,” Alvarez said in a television interview.

“That, sadly, is what’s going on in the Lower House,” the former Speaker added.

READ: ‘Spend P150M to P300M, to be next Speaker’

Legarda’s name was among those earlier floated as a possible contender for speakership.

But the senator reiterated that while she could do the job, it was not on her radar.

“Marami nang nag a-aspire. And I’ll say it again: With regard to the job, I know I can do the job. But do I want the job? Not necessarily,” Legarda said. (Editor: Cenon B. Bibe Jr.)

READ: Legarda on House speakership: It’s not on my radar