“UNPRESIDENTIAL” spokesperson.
That’s how the camp of Jejomar Binay described presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda after the latter recently called the Vice President an “expert in corruption.”
Binay’s spokesperson Atty. Rico Quicho in a statement Tuesday said Lacierda does not know the plight of the marginalized because the latter is comfortably tucked up in an air-conditioned room, away from the masses.
“Ang problema kay Secretary Lacierda, lagi lang siyang nagpapalamig sa kaniyang opisina kaya bulag at manhid siya sa katotohanan na ang mahihirap ay sadyang lugmok pa rin sa kahirapan dahil sa kawalan ng pagkalinga ng pamahalaan,” Quicho said.
Quicho said Binay would not let himself to be upset by Lacierda’s crude remarks.
“The Vice President will not be distracted by petty name calling from the unpresidential spokesperson,” Quicho said.
Quicho made the reaction after Lacierda called Binay an expert in corruption for claiming the Liberal Party is bribing local officials for their votes in the coming elections.
Binay’s camp has said the LP standard-bearer Mar Roxas has perpetrated a “legitimized vote-buying” in the Bottom Up Budgeting by promising the local government units and its constituents budget for grassroots projects.
“I suppose that’s how VP intends to govern, to be bribed and to bribe. That’s why he is the expert in corruption, and a joker when (he) talks about good governance,” Lacierda said in a text message to media.
Lacierda also said it is hard to believe that Binay supports freedom of information when the latter cannot even produce Eduviges “Ebeng” Baloloy and Gerardo Limlingan, Binay’s aides allegedly serving as his front for hidden wealth who have gone missing since the Senate investigated Binay’s allegations of corruption when he was Makati mayor.
“When he talks about FOI (Freedom of Information), nobody believes him because he cannot even produce his own private secretary for many years, his financial adviser for many years,” Lacierda said.
Quicho said the vice president would instead focus on addressing the concerns of the poor by promising to improve the administration’s dole-out program Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and to remove the income tax for those earning P30,000 or less monthly, among others.
“The Vice President will make sure that the 4Ps program will be continued, improved and expanded to include senior citizens aged 60-64, and income tax for workers receiving P30,000 and below will be abolished,” Quicho said.
“No amount of character assassination will stop the Vice President from pushing for his pro-poor agenda,” he added.