Liberal Party says attacks vs Robredo, Jimenez mere diversionary tactics

The Liberal Party (LP) said on Sunday that the attacks against Vice President Leni Robredo and former Tourism Secretary Mon Jimenez were mere tactics meant to divert public attention away from critical issues involving the administration.

“Inililihis nila ang atensyon ng sambayanan mula sa mga dapat na sagutin ng mga nasa kapangyarihan: ang nakakabahalang pangitain na mawalan ng trabaho ang mahigit 260,000 na mga OFW natin sa Kuwait (They are diverting the attention of the public from issues that authorities should address such as the possible job loss for over 260,000 OFWs in Kuwait),” LP President and Senator Francis Pangilinan said in a statement.

There’s also the threat of militarization from China and the P60-million anomaly involving Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo, he added.

Robredo, an LP stalwart, recently figured in a verbal tussle with the media over what she calls “fake news” on the outcome of the vote recount being conducted by the Presidential Election Tribunal (PET).

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) recently filed a graft complaint against Jimenez, President Benigno Aquino’s tourism chief, over the P1-billion ad campaign that allegedly did not go through the bidding process.

The complaint came after a Commission on Audit (COA) report revealed that under Teo, the Department of Tourism awarded P60 million in advertising contracts to his brother’s media outfit, raising concerns of possible conflict of interest.

Malacañang later announced that the case is under investigation.

Pangilinan insisted that the government should instead focus on important issues.

“Paano na ang kabuhayan ng 260,000 na OFW sa Kuwait? Paano na ang kaligtasan ng mga Pilipino sa pagsakop ng China sa mga islang atin talaga? Paano na ang pangakong lilipulin ang lahat ng magnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan? (What will happen to our OFWs in Kuwait? How are we going to address China’s invasion of territories that rightfully belong to us? How about the promise to eradicate corruption?),” Pangilinan asked. /ee