Palace likens Syjuco to ‘serial’ filer Lozano

By: Kristine Angeli Sabillo - 10 years ago

Augusto “Boboy” Syjuco Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Monday dismissed the impeachment complaint against President Benigno Aquino III filed by former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) chief Augusto “Boboy” Syjuco Jr.

“Well, Mr. Boboy Syjuco has been filing cases left and right. So it’s just one of his actions,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told Palace reporters.

He said the House of Representatives would have to deal with the complaint.

“We will let the congressmen speak for themselves as they see the impeachment complaint before them,” he added.

Lacierda likened Syjuco to Oliver Lozano who filed the first impeachment complaint against Aquino after the Supreme Court declared the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) unconstitutional.

Lozano has been making headlines for filing impeachment complaints against Aquino and former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. However, the cases did not prosper.

Asked if the President will conduct a loyalty check on his allies in Congress, Lacierda simply said that the DAP has benefited many people.

“If you look at the beneficial effects of DAP, how it has profited and benefited the people…Do you think a loyalty check is needed?” he asked.

Syjuco said Aquino should be betrayed for bribery, betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution. He earlier filed a libel case against the President after Syjuco’s work at Tesda was criticized during the last State of the Nation Address.

The former Tesda chief is facing graft charges before the Sandiganbayan for the alleged overpricing of training materials worth P61 million.

Syjuco’s complaint has yet to be endorsed by a House member while Lozano’s was rejected by Kabataan Representative Terry Ridon who said the complaint was weak and did not meet the standards set by the Constitution.