Korina was asked to help pass out DA checks, says LP

BROADCASTER Korina Sanchez was only “assisting” the Department of Agriculture in handing out checks and farm equipment to farmers during a DA gathering in Mindanao, the camp of her husband, Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas, said Sunday.

“My understanding is she was invited by the DA to be part of the program,” LP coalition spokesperson Barry Gutierrez said.

“When the time came for the distribution—which to be clear was in accordance with DA programs—she was asked to assist,” Gutierrez said.

Sanchez’s presence in the program also drew fire from the camp of Vice President and United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) presidential candidate Jejomar Binay, Roxas’ rival.

Binay’s campaign spokesperson Rico Quicho said UNA had been pointing out the tendency of the Aquino administration to use government institutions in politics.

“If not its resources, it’s the people’s money that is being used by our rivals for their lethargic candidate,” Quicho said, referring to Roxas.

Earlier, Peter Laviña, spokesperson of another presidential candidate, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, cried foul when Sanchez was seen with DA officials in Tagum City at the distribution of P611-million worth of agriculture funds and equipment on Saturday.

Sanchez also reportedly joined similar DA events in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato, and Mexico, Pampanga.

“Why was she the one giving out the checks to the farmers?” Laviña said, characterizing her actions as “vote-buying.”