LP pressed: Declare gov’t funds ‘used’ in campaign

Renato Reyes Jr. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

A militant group on Friday urged the outgoing administration’s Liberal Party (LP) to declare the government resources and public funds it used to run the campaign of its candidates in the May 9 elections.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) chairperson Renato Reyes said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) should look into the “brazen use” of government resources in the LP campaign, which he said should be considered an election offense.

“The Liberal Party and Mar Roxas should declare how much Noynoy Aquino contributed to their campaign by way of government resources and public funds. The Comelec should at least look into this matter now,” Reyes said in a statement.

Reyes accused the poll body of turning a blind eye on the supposed “irregularities” allegedly carried out by the LP, citing the use of the government’s conditional cash transfer and bottom-up budgeting programs.

READ: CBCP warns LP vs using leftover DILG funds for election campaign

“How many of the rallies and assemblies that mobilized 4P’s beneficiaries were actually funded by taxpayers? How many local sorties were funded by the LGU beneficiaries of the BUB program? Should these not be counted as contributions to the LP campaign by no less than the national government?” Reyes added.

LP and its defeated presidential candidate Mar Roxas have yet to file their statement of contributions and expenditures and asked for a 14-day extension after missing the deadline of submission on Thursday. IDL/rga

READ: Mar, LP fail to file expenses report