UNA Secretary General Toby Tiangco. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – The United Nationalist Alliance is convinced that Malacañang’s retracted comment on the uncertainty of the 2016 elections was “not just a slip of the tongue.”
“Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda’s remark on the possibility of a ‘no election’ scenario in 2016 is reflective of the conscious efforts of Malacañang and the (Interior Secretary Manuel) Roxas II-(Budget Secretary Florencio) Abad faction in the Liberal Party to derail democratic processes in order to perpetuate President [Benigno Aquino III] in power,” UNA said in a statement Sunday.
UNA secretary general, Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco, pointed out that “where there is smoke, there is fire.”
During a media interview on Friday, Lacierda said the public should just wait on who the President will endorse for the 2016 elections [if in the 2016 elections would push through].”
Critics blasted the statement prompting Lacierda to clarify his pronouncement.
“The President has neither decided on term extension or endorsing a candidate. In both instances, 2016 elections will push through,” he later told media.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte on Sunday said they had been joking that Lacierda’s misstatement was caused by his language confusion since he was more fluent in English than in Filipino.
But Tiangco said it is clear to them that the group led by Roxas and Abad, dubbed the “Balay” faction, wants Aquino to stay in power.
“And when all else fails, Oplan ‘Noel (no election)’ is the most convenient plot to stay in power,” Tiangco said.
He said the “no election” scenario was only favorable to those “who are tailing the surveys and have no chance in winning in square, fair and honest elections.”
“They have no chance at all that they rather skirt the Constitution and acquire power illegally,” he added.
Although Tiangco did not mention names, Roxas is believed to be Aquino’s favored successor. While he enjoys the trust of the President, he has not been doing well in election surveys, unlike Vice President and UNA president Jejomar Binay.
Binay has already announced that he will run for President in 2016.
During the 2010 elections, word came out that Aquino was supported by two separate factions – the “Balay” group, composed of Liberal Party stalwarts, and the “Samar” group, which was rumored to have supported the vice presidency of Binay instead of Roxas.
Tiangco said Lacierda’s so-called slip-of-the-tongue “confirmed loose talks and the baleful proposals for Aquino to have a second term.”
He accused the Liberal Party of laying the groundwork for such a scenario.
Tiangco said they are seriously considering such a possibility, especially since a term extension for the President could be secured by promising a term extension for lawmakers who will vote for it to happen.
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