Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero. RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
Vice presidential bet Francis “Chiz” Escudero has accused former Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan of politicizing the coco levy issue, saying it should be the latter’s partymates in the Liberal Party (LP), who should be blamed for the non-passage of the Coco Levy Trust Fund Bill in the Senate.
The bill, which seeks to a create a permanent trust to manage the multibillion-peso coco levy funds, has already been approved at the House of Representatives but remained pending at the Senate.
“Bakit hindi niya tanungin ‘yung Senate President na kapartido niya? Bakit kami ang tatanungin niya? Bakit hindi niya tanungin ang liderato ng Senado? Kami ordinaryong miyembro ng Senado at hindi bahagi ng liderato,” Escudero said at a press conference in Malabon City Thursday nigh, referring to Senate President Franklin Drilon, who is also vice chair of LP.
“Pangalawa, ‘yung ginawa niya na i-executive order sana, T-ini-R-O (temporary restraining order) ng Korte Suprema kasi mali. Kung may kasalanan man, kung may dapat singilin man, siya at ‘yung kanyang mga kapartido at kaalyado sa Liberal Party siguro. Masyado lang namumulitika ‘yung katukayo ko kung kaming dalawa ang ituturo lamang niya,” he added.
(Why won’t he ask their Senate President who is also his partymate? Why is he asking us? Why not ask the Senate leadership? We are ordinary members of the Senate and not part of the leadership.
Secondly, what he did that what should have been an executive order was given a TRO by the Supreme Court because it was wrong. If there was any mistake, anyone to blame, then he must perhaps look to his partymates and allies in the LP. My namesake would be politicizing too much if he points only to us two.)
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Escudero made the remarks when sought to react to Pangilinan’s reported statement that the ball of passing the bill is now in the Senate.
Pangilinan, who is running for senator under the LP ticket, was also reportedly reacting to Senator Grace Poe’s statement that the government should be blamed for the delay in making the coco levy funds available to its beneficiaries.
Escudero also defended Poe from criticisms that she is a puppet of businessman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco.
“Noon ‘tuta nito,’ ‘tuta niyan,’ ngayon tuta naman ni dating Ambassador Cojuangco,” he said. “Hiniling ng lahat ng tumatakbo sa pagkapangulo ang suporta at endorsement ng NPC. Lahat sila, no exception, humarap: Secretary Roxas, Mayor Duterte, Vice President Binay, gayundin si Senator Grace. Tapos, ‘nung inendorso ng NPC si Senator Grace, biglang mayroon nang interes sa likod niya; biglang tuta na siya,” he said.
(Before, lap dog of this, of that, now, a lap dog of former Ambassador Cojuangco. All presidential aspirants wish for the support and endorsement of the NPC. All of them, no exception, [sought for support]: Secretary Roxas, Mayor Duterte, Vice President Binay, as well as Senator Grace. Now that the NPC has endorsed Senator Grace, there is an interest behind it, all of a sudden she’s a lap dog.)
Escudero was referring to Cojuangco’s Nationalist People’s Coalition which earlier endorsed the presidential bid of Poe.
Poe’s rivals in the May 2016 presidential race—former Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, and Vice President Jejomar Binay, also met with the NPC but failed to get the endorsement of its leadership.
“Paano ‘pag sila ang inendorso? Kaya din ba nilang sabihin ang parehong bagay na ‘yan? Porket ba bata at bago si Senator Grace, kailangan may sugar daddy na? Hindi naman siguro dapat,” Escudero said.
“Kayang tumayo at ipinakita ni Senator Grace na tumatayo siya sa sariling paa. Hindi niya kailangan ng sinoman sa likod niya para ipaglaban kung ano ang tingin niyang tama at para gawin kung ano ang nararapat para sa ating bansa,” he added.
(How would they be endorsed? Would they be able to say the same thing? Just because Senator Grace is young and a newcomer, there has to be a sugar daddy? Perhaps that shouldn’t be.
Senator Grace can and has shown that she can stand on her own two feet. She doesn’t need anyone to defend her if she knows what is right and to decide on what is right for out country.) CDG
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