Presidential aspirant Grace Poe and running mate, vice-presidential aspirant Chiz Escudero. INQUIRER file
ILOILO, Philippines— Presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe and her vice-presidential running mate, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, vowed on Tuesday to reveal the names of the owners of the private planes they use in their campaign sorties after the May elections but assured that they are “legitimate” individuals and companies and are not involved in any irregularities.
“Sinagot nya rin yung kanya?” was Poe’s initial reaction when sought for comment during a press conference here on former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas’s reported challenge for other candidates to also reveal the identities of the owners of the planes that they use in the name of transparency.
READ: Roxas on the use of private planes: It’s not for free, I’m paying for it
It was Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who first exposed the identity of the businessman, miner Eric Gutierrez, owner of the planes that Roxas has been allegedly using in his campaign.
READ: Duterte rips Roxas’ use of mining firms plane
Taking on Roxas’ challenge, Poe explained they are just renting the planes they use and that they also have friends who lend those to them.
“Yung sa amin ganito, may mga iba na nirerentahan namin yung aming sinasakyan. May mga iba na nagpapahiram na mga kaibigan, iba’t ibang kompanya iba’t ibang mga individual pero lahat naman yan ay ilalagay namin sa aming SOCE…” she said, referring to Statements of Contributions and Expenses.
(For us, it’s like this, there are instances wherein we rent those [planes]. There are some who our friends lend to us, different companies and individuals but all of those we will include in our Soce…)
“Pero ano bang kinakatakot? Para sa akin, ang simpleng pagdududa ng ating mga kababayan ay bibigyan nyo ba sila ng preferential treatment? Itong mga ilalagay natin sa SOCE na nagpahiram, bantayan nyo dahil hindi ko gagawin yan,” she added.
(But what are they afraid of? For me, our countrymen’s doubts stem from [the notion] if you give them preferential treatment?)
Poe said all the companies that are providing them planes would be listed in their SOCE.
“Ngayon nakalista yan sa ibat ibang kompanya, hindi lang iisang tao. Ilalabas namin kasi baka may mabanggit ako hindi naman pala nakalista sa kompanya na yun,” she said when pressed to identify the owners.
(Now, all of those are listed from various companies, not just one person. We will reveal them because I might include something not included in a particular company.)
“Basta I can assure you na kung saka-sakaling lumabas naman yan sa SOCE makikita nyo, tingnan nyo kung may extrang pabor na binibigay dun.”
(I can assure you if those came out of the SOCE, you will see if there were extra favors given.)
“Basta ang makakasiguro lang, legitimate companies na hindi involved sa mga irregularities at lalong lalo na sa mga violations sa environment at kung ano pa man,” Poe added.
(What I am sure of is that they are legitimate companies not involved in irregularities and most important, in violations against the environment, among others.)
Escudero echoed Poe’s assurance, saying they would disclose everything in the SOCE just like what they did in the past.
“Pero tinitiyak namin sa inyo ni Senator Grace wala kaming itatago sa SOCE namin tulad ng mga nagdaang panahon at tinitiyak namin sa inyo na tatalima kami sa probisyon ng Comelec (Commission on Election) rules and regulations kaugnay sa pagbabawal ng paggamit o pagtanngap ng ano mang donasyon sa sinumang tumatanggap din ano mang prangkisa o regulasyon mula sa pamahalaan,” he said.
(We assure you we will not hide anything in our SOCE like in the past and we will not go against the provisions of the Comelec rules and regulations.)
Escudero then turned the table on Roxas.
“Ang maganda sigurong masagot na tanong, kung inamin ba o umamin man si Secretary Roxas, pwede at legal ba yun sa ilalim ng batas kung merong tinangap na prankinsa or may tinanggap na pabor sa pamahalaan or heavily regulated ng pamahalaan yung nagpapahiram sa kanya ng eroplano dahil sangayon sa Comelec rules bawal yun,” Escudero said.
(The questions that should be answered are “if Secretary Roxas admitted it, is it allowed or legal if there were franchises or were there favors accepted for the government or if those who lent the planes are being heavily regulated by the government then it’s prohibited according to the Comelec rules.) TVJ