Role of Aquino adviser in ‘political season’ questioned

President Benigno Aquino III with his political adviser, Ronald Llamas. Malacañang. EDWIN BACASMAS/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Will the President’s political adviser, Secretary Ronald Llamas, be used to favor a candidate in the upcoming presidential elections?

This question was raised by Senator Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate committee on finance, when she scrutinized the budget of the Office of the President (OP) on Friday.

Llamas’ office, which is under the OP, has a proposed allocation of P58 million in 2016.

“Why is he (Llamas) not here?” Legarda asked Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., who was defending the OP’s budget next year.

“Perhaps, it’s a political season your honor…” Ochoa said in jest.

Saying it was the first time that she saw the budget of the political adviser’s office, Legarda then asked the Executive Secretary to provide her committee the breakdown of Llamas office’s budget and its political activities particularly from 2011 to present.

“What are the activities of the political adviser? You’re correct in saying that it’s a political season so do we see that the political adviser of the President will favor one candidate, and therefore government funds will be used to a preferred a candidate? Or what kind of political advising or organization will be used with this P58 million,” the senator asked.

Ochoa said he would ask Llamas to make a report.

Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, who also attended the budget hearing, immediately denied that the political adviser or his fund would be used to favor the President’s bet in 2016.

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President Benigno Aquino III has endorsed the presidential bid of former Interior secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and running mate, Camarines Sur representative Leni Robredo.

“My understanding is that his role is to make sure that the President is aware of the political development around the country…and not necessarily national, even the local. That’s the role of the political adviser,” Almendras told reporters after the budget hearing.

“He has to understand what’s happening in this country,” he said.

Asked if the political adviser would not automatically back the Liberal Party’s bets, Almendras noted that Llamas is with the Akbayan group , and not part of the LP, which is rooting for Roxas and Robredo.

“I don’t know if he’s joined LP already, he’s with Akbayan. I think the role of the political adviser is to go around the country and make sure he listens to what’s the political temperament of the people and makes sure the president is aware of that…” the Cabinet Secretary further explained. IDL