Team PNoy links to Arroyo cited

MANILA, Philippines—It’s not as if Team PNoy is free of any links with former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Toby Tiangco, United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) campaign manager, on Sunday said he could easily come up with the names of many people in the administration camp who enjoyed close ties and worked with the former President before jumping over to the new ruling coalition.

This is why allies of the Liberal Party coalition should think twice before hurling such tags as “UNArroyo.”

Harvey Keh of Kaya Natin, an administration ally, had earlier said UNA could be in an alliance with Arroyo’s camp.

Keh made the statement as he denied allegations by UNA the administration was involved in vote buying with the distribution of Kaya Natin gift certificates in Quezon City’s third district.

Keh said UNA’s connivance with the Arroyo camp could be the reason it was allowing itself to be used by former Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor, hence the vote-buying allegations.

Defensor, an Arroyo ally, is the UNA candidate for representative in Quezon City’s third district against administration reelectionist Jorge Banal Jr.

Tiangco again noted that Team PNoy senatorial candidate Paolo Benigno Aquino IV served under Arroyo and alleged that he had been silent on the allegations against the former President when many youth groups he represented were protesting against her.

Tiangco also said the law creating the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone in the hometown of administration senatorial candidate Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara was approved during Arroyo’s term.

Other administration personalities with ties to Arroyo are Liberal Party campaign manager Franklin Drilon and spokesmen Ben Evardone and Miro Quimbo.

“Maybe Keh should look in the mirror so that he could see who are in the Liberal Party now,” Tiangco said in a statement.

“GMA’s big man, point man, hatchetman, bagman, running man are all now with LP. So who is under GMA’s shadow now?” he said.—Leila Salaverria