Robredo defends Aquino on pension hike veto: He did what must be done

Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo. PHOTO BY NOY MORCOSO/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

Although she admitted that she is in favor of the Social Security System (SSS) pension hike, Camarines Sur Rep. Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo on Friday defended President Benigno Aquino III after he vetoed the bill.

READ: Aquino vetoes SSS pension hike bill

“Kung ano man ang dahilan ng Presidente, ginawa niya ang dapat gawin,” Robredo said during an interview in Bicol.

(Whatever the President’s reason may be, he did what must be done.)

Robredo, who is running as the vice president of Manuel “Mar” Roxas II under the Liberal Party, was reacting to the move of Aquino who vetoed the proposed bill providing for a P2,000 increase in the pension of SSS members.

READ: Aquino insists SSS pension increase not good in the long run

Aquino said the stability of the 31 million SSS members would be “seriously compromised” in favor of two million pensioners and their dependents.

Robredo mentioned a previous statement of the SSS that it would go bankrupt if the pension hike was approved.

“Kung totoo nga ang claim ng leadership, talagang obligasyon ng Presidente na i-protect tayong lahat from that,” she said.

(If the leadership’s claim were true, it is the President’s obligation to protect us all from that.)

READ: Aquino explains veto: SSS viability in danger

Robredo added that the president could have easily signed the bill into law to gain “pogi points,” however, he chose the unpopular move.

“Iyong pinakamadali niyang gawin, i-approve niya iyon. Kasi ‘pag in-approve niya iyon, pogi siya, pogi iyong Liberal Party,” she said.

(The easiest thing to do for him is to approve it. If only he approved it, he would have been charming, the whole Liberal Party is charming as well.)

She admitted that the administration’s candidates would receive the backlash of Aquino’s decision.

“Kaya ako naniniwala—kahit hindi ko pa nababasa iyong veto message—na may mabigat na dahilan kung bakit niya ito vineto,” she said.

(That’s why I believe—although I have yet to read the veto message—that there is a grave reason why he vetoed it.) RAM