Escudero says Aquino role in Roxas bid ‘unfair’

PRESIDENTIAL candidate Sen. Grace Poe and running mate Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero take a selfie with a student of South Western University during their sortie in Cebu City. TONEE DESPOJO/CDN

SAMBOAN TOWN, Cebu—Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, one of President Aquino’s closest friends, has said Mr. Aquino should not have endorsed any candidate for national positions in the May elections to show that the elections would, indeed, be fair.

“I was slightly sad when President Aquino decided to endorse a candidate,” he said at a news conference at the rest house of Mayor Raymond Calderon of this town, some 140 kilometers south of Cebu City.

“It would have been better if he hadn’t (endorsed anyone), not because he did not endorse Senator Grace or me. It would have been better if the President just supervised and oversaw the conduct of clean and fair elections,” said Escudero during the news conference.

Lowest spender

In a statement, one of the organizers of the Youth for Chiz group said Escudero spent not even 1 percent of funds spent by other candidates on ads yet continues to be popular, especially among the youth, because his message of reform is effective.

Jules Guiang, former vice chair of the University of the Philippines Student Council, said the message that Escudero brings with him gives him “rock star” reception wherever he goes to campaign.

According to a special report by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), Escudero spent P2.7 million on ads as of Jan. 31. The amount, Guiang said, is much lower than what other candidates spent in the same period.

Guiang said he is not surprised that Escudero is doing well among voters in the D and E economic classes because among the candidates, “his pro-poor platform is very clear.”

Escudero, he said, has taken the side of the poor on many issues, including the botched increase in social security pension, proposals for onsite resettlement of informal settlers and opposition to labor contractualization.

After LP

Escudero, who is running for vice president, and presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe were in Cebu last weekend after a two-day sortie of administration standard-bearer Mar Roxas and running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, in this vote-rich province.

Escudero said the President should have stayed impartial to show that the May 9 elections would be fair and honest because the Chief Executive is not endorsing any candidate.

He said the administration could have been true to its slogan, “daang matuwid,” if the President decided to keep his hands off the election campaign.

“The straight path means fair fight,” said Escudero.

“This is the reason the Constitution does not allow the reelection of a sitting president so he could not use his office in the campaign,” he said.

The President has been actively campaigning for Roxas and Robredo and even appeared in their television commercials.

Mr. Aquino attended Liberal Party (LP) rallies in Tagbilaran City, Bohol and Mandaue City in Cebu on March 2 and 3.

Cabinet work

Aside from showing support for Roxas and Robredo, Escudero said the President is also inviting members of the Cabinet to do the same.

“So instead of attending to the problems of the country, the Cabinet secretaries are busy campaigning with the candidates of the Liberal Party,” he said.

“Instead of addressing the problems of the country, President Aquino is busy campaigning,” he said.

Escudero said he could not stop the President and his Cabinet officials from campaigning for LP candidates but he reminded them that they are using taxpayers’ money during provincial sorties.

He cited as examples of Cabinet members active in the campaign as Florencio “Butch” Abad of the Department of Budget and Management, and Corazon “Dinky” Soliman of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

He said the two Cabinet members are getting salaries paid for by taxes and should not be seen, or even perceived, to be campaigning for LP candidates as long as they are in the Cabinet.

Escudero also advised Mr. Aquino to tell his Cabinet members not to use their positions to harass officials who do not support administration candidates.

Harassment?

He was referring to the dismissal order issued by the Ombudsman against Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian, who is Poe’s spokesperson.

The suspension stemmed from Gatchalian’s issuance of provisional permit to Kentex Manufacturing Corp. for a factory where 72 workers were killed in a fire in May 2015.

Escudero said he hoped the dismissal order against Gatchalian is not linked to his membership in the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) which endorsed his and Poe’s candidacies and his work as spokesperson of Poe.

Escudero said Gatchalian was able to stop the implementation of the dismissal order by securing a temporary restraining order from the Court of Appeals.

“I am calling on President Aquino to tell his Cabinet members not to take sides,” said Escudero.

“They can campaign since they are political appointees but it is not right that they use their position and office to harass (non-LP supporters),” he said.

“It is not within their power. And I think, it is not the straight path,” he added.