A militant group on Thursday claimed that President Benigno Aquino III’s government is threatening Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries with a P500 deduction in their stipend should they fail to show up in the “unity walk” in support of Liberal Party (LP) bets Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and Camarines Sur Representative Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo on Friday, April 15 at Luneta Park.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said that they have received reports that the beneficiaries of the government’s dole-out program based in Manila are required to attend the said LP event.
“We have received information that CCT (conditional cash transfer)-4P’s members in Manila are being required to attend a ‘unity walk’ for Mar Roxas in Luneta tomorrow under the guise of the monthly Family Development Session of the 4P’s. The 4Ps members are being threatened with a P500 deduction from their monthly support should they fail to attend,” Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr. said in a statement.
Reyes hit the ruling party for supposedly using public funds for its campaign.
“This is a shameless use of public funds for a partisan political activity. It is illegal and immoral at the same time.”
“The CCT funds are not the campaign funds of the LP. They should not be used to promote the candidacy of individuals,” he said.
Reyes urged the public to be vigilant in monitoring supposedly partisan political activity in the guise of an official government program.
Sought for comment, Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid spokesperson and Akbayan Party-list Representative Ibarra Gutierrez III denied the allegations.
Gutierrez also slammed Bayan for spewing false information against the administration.
“Completely false. This ‘militant group’ Bayan is supporting the (Grace) Poe-(Francis) Escudero campaign. They have long been attempting to throw mud [at] the government and the Mar-Leni team to further the political agenda of their chosen candidates,” Gutierrez said in a text message sent to INQUIRER.net. RAM
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