Former Sen. Jamby Madrigal. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
BULUAN, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III has likened former Senator Maria Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal to boxing legend Mike Tyson.
At a campaign sortie here on Friday, Aquino pointed out how Madrigal’s fierce look could easily scare away corrupt people—a look that is scarier than that of Tyson.
“Si Jamby Madrigal, kapag nakikita natin sa kanyang mga posters sa television, maaliwalas ang mukha dahil hindi kayo tiwali [When we see her posters, her face looks fresh because we are not corrupt],” the President said when she introduced Madrigal, who was absent at the proclamation rally held at the Peace Center Compound in Barangay (village) Poblacion, Buluan.
“Pag tiwali kayo’t tiningnan ni Jamby, parang talo pa ho na masama ang tingin sa inyo ni Mr. Tyson, noong kasikatan ni Tyson bilang boksingero [When you are corrupt and Jamby looks at you, her look is worse than that of Mr Tyson, when Mr. Tyson was still a popular boxer],” he said.
Aquino, meanwhile, described former Las Pinas Representative Cynthia Villar, another Team PNoy bet, a “straightforward person,” and not a “turncoat.”
He said he has known Villar for being straightforward, and a person who stands by her words.
“Pag sinabi nyang puti, klarong puti. Pag itim, klarong itim. Hindi pag kausap, sasabihing puti tapos sa susunod pag sinabi ng iba itim, itim. Hindi ho balingbing yung tao. Diretsong kausap [When she says white, that’s clear white. When it’s black, then it’s clear black. She would not say white then black to another person. She is not a turncoat. She is straightforward],” Aquino said.
“So pag sinabi po nya, magiging hanep ang buhay kung maraming hanap buhay. Alam ko po pag si Cynthia nasa Senado, magkakatotoo yan [So when she says life would better if there are more jobs available. I know that it will come true when Cynthia is elected in the Senate),” he added.
Villar is the wife of outgoing Senator Manny Villar, who lost to Aquino during the 2010 presidential election.
The President endorsed all 12 senatorial bets of Team PNoy during the rally although only four were present when he was giving his speech –re-electionist Senators Loren Legarda and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, former Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros and Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, the President’s cousin.
Former Senator Ramon “Jun” Magsaysay and Aurora Representative Sonny Angara, who are also running under the administration team, came and joined the rally but left even before the President arrived.