Escudero: No need for backing of businessmen to live honorably

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero. ARNOLD ALMACEN/Poe-Escudero Media Bureau

Vice presidential bet Francis “Chiz” Escudero has admitted being hurt by insinuations that businessmen who served as principal sponsors in his wedding with actress Heart Evangelista might influence his personal and political decisions.

“Alam niyo, nakakalungkot na palaging nababanggit ‘yan. Porke’t ba bata ako at hindi mayaman, kailangan na lamang palagi na may mayamang negosyante sa likod ko? Simple ang pamumuhay ko at hindi ko sila kailangan para mabuhay nang marangal,” Escudero said during Sunday’s vice presidential debate of ABS-CBN.

He said he is not beholden to anyone and that he had already proven this when he joined the impeachment bids against then president and now detained Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Arroyo stood as one of the primary sponsors in his wedding with his first wife but their relationship turned sour when Escudero served as campaign spokesperson for Arroyo’s bitter rival in the 2004 presidential race, the late actor Fernando Poe Jr (FPJ.)

FPJ eventually lost to Arroyo in a highly contested election.

When evidence of electoral fraud surfaced, Escudero and opposition lawmakers moved to impeach Arroyo, but were outnumbered by her allies in Congress.

As minority leader at the House of Representatives, Escudero also led the succeeding failed impeachment moves against Arroyo. This explains why, he said, he did not receive a single centavo of the Priority Development Assistance (PDAF) allocation from the national government during the nine years that Arroyo was in power.

“Ninang ko sa kasal ko noon si GMA; in-impeach ko siya nang tatlong beses dahil ‘yon ang panawagan ng pagkakataon at ebidensya,” he said.

“Ang ilang mga ninong ko rin, nagawan ko na rin ng desisyon at pasya kung saan iisa ang batayang sinunod ko: ang tama ay tama, ang mali ay mali. At kailanman, hindi ko po papayagan na ito ay mamagitan sa pagitan ko at ng aking trabaho at sinumpaang tungkulin sa atin pong mga kababayan ano mang puwesto ang aking pinanghahawakan.”

Escudero said he would not hesitate  to again support any move to impeach a sitting president if there is strong indication that a wrongdoing has been committed.

“Minsan ko nang nagawa at pinatunayan ‘yan. Noong may nakita kaming paglabag sa Saligang Batas kaugnay ng katiwalian, pandaraya sa halalan at kasinungalingan ng nagdaang pangulo, tiniyak namin at sinubukan namin syang i-impeach,” Escudero said, referring to Arroyo.

“Hindi nga lang namin nakuha noon ang kinakailangang boto para mapanagot sana siya ng Senado. Kaya ang ginawa po namin, sumama kami sa pakikipaglaban sa lansangan para sana mapasagot man lang siya, mapaliwanag at bigyan ng pagkakataon na depensahan ang kanyang sarili.

“Subalit, maski na ‘yon, hindi po niya binigay sa amin. Bilang ikalawang pangulo, bilang inyong ikalawang pangulo, layunin ko palagi ay iisa lamang: ipaglaban ang tama at labanan ang mali,” he added. JE

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