Gloves are off: Noynoy takes a swipe at Gibo

The gloves have come off, even between cousins competing for the Philippine presidency. For the first time, Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino III criticized his cousin, administration bet Gilberto Teodoro Jr., for failing to give a categorical answer on whether the former defense secretary would prosecute President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo under his term. In an apparent swipe at Teodoro, Aquino said a presidential candidate should have a clear stand on Arroyo’s possible prosecution once her term ends in June. “Palagay ko po ang pinuno, dapat klaro ang mga posisyon sa lahat po ng issue… Sa katanungan kung meron bang kasalanan si Ginang Arroyo, dapat mayroon tayong paninindigan kung tama ba o mali. Ikaw ang magdidikta sa buong gobyerno kung uusigin ba o hindi," Aquino said in an ANC Forum in Manila. (A leader should have clear positions on all issues. A leader should have a stand on whether President Arroyo has done wrong or not, because he or she will dictate on the whole government whether to prosecute or not.) Aquino made this remark after Teodoro refused to answer the question on whether Arroyo, as President, had done anything that could lead to her prosecution. “Sa katayuan ko, hindi naman siguro tama na sumagot ako kung tama o hindi. Kapartido ko ang ating pangulo," Teodoro said. (Given my situation, I would think it would be improper if I answer Yes or No. After all, the President is my partymate.) “Kung magparticipate ako sa paghahabla, sasabihin: ‘Bakit ka nagpaparticipate? Baka lutuin mo lang ‘yung kaso.’ Kapag hindi naman, sasabihin hindi mo gagawin ang katungkulan mo," he added. (If I participate in her prosecution, people will say, 'Why do you participate? You probably want to rig the case.' But if I inhibit, they will say I'm not doing my duty.) Aquino emphasized that the public deserves to know if a presidential candidate would spearhead efforts to hold Arroyo accountable for all the controversies during her administration. “Kailangan may katiyakan sa kaparusahan. Kung tayo po ay hindi mamamansin dito sa mga walang closure e para nating sinabi na ituloy natin itong sistemang mali," he added. (There should be certainty of punishment. If we neglect these issues without any closure, it’s like saying we should continue this crooked system.) Aquino further said that the Palace is responsible for putting the integrity of several institutions, including the church and the court, on the line. He added that the Palace’s refusal to take responsibility deprived the public of finding out the truth. Based on crowd reaction, the mostly student audience of the De La Salle University — the school where Teodoro finished his undergraduate degree – apparently found the Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer’s answer unsatisfactory. When asked by host Ted Failon if Teodoro’s stand on Arroyo’s possible prosecution was clear, the crowd yelled, “No!" Sen. Ana Consuelo “Jamby" Madrigal, another presidential candidate, likewise challenged Teodoro’s lack of a clear stand and asked the administration bet whether he would give more weight on Arroyo’s views than public opinion. “If elected president, tatanaw ka ba ng utang na loob kay Arroyo o tatanaw ka lang ng utang na loob sa taumbayan?" Madrigal asked Teodoro. (If elected president, will you acknowledge a debt of gratitude to Arroyo or only to the people?" Again, the beleaguered administration bet avoided a categorical answer but said that he would repay goodness with goodness. At the same time, he stressed that no amount of wrongdoing is worth his reputation. On the other hand, Senator Richard Gordon, Bagumbayan standard bearer, disapproved of grilling Teodoro and insisted that the latter’s answers should be respected and not “editorialized." "I don’t think we should editorialize here. I think ‘yun ang sinabi ni Gibo sabi niya, kasama ang pagtingin sa pangulo. Let him answer that," he said. Gordon, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chair, further said that while he supported the filing of charges against the President, merely taking a popular stand is not enough. "Mahirap magpander sa popular opinion. Dapat alamin natin kung cogent o tama ang ipinopropose dito... Ilagay natin sa tamang lugar," Gordon said. (It’s difficult to pander to popular opinion. We should try to determine whether things proposed here are cogent or correct. Things should be put in their proper place.) Gordon also urged the media to help enlighten the public by informing them of the real issues to help them make the right decisions. “Let the ax fall where it may. In the meantime, the president should concentrate on promoting the country," Gordon said. ‘Prosecute her’ Independent candidate Nicanor Perlas, Ang Kapatiran standard bearer JC delos Reyes, Nationalista Party’s Sen. Manuel Villar Jr., and Eddie Villanueva echoed the sentiment that Mrs. Arroyo erred and should be held accountable. Among the issues they raised include the 2004 electoral rigging as exposed in the "Hello Garci" tapes, the NBN-ZTE deal, the agriculture fund scam, and the road user tax scandal. “I will not lift a finger to defend the president should these charges be filed against [Arroyo] once she steps down," Villar said, who himself was repeatedly criticized by other candidates for allegedly spending too much for his campaign. Should Perlas win the race, he said he would tap the assistance of civil society groups and corruption watchdogs in creating a commission that would lead the investigation against Mrs. Arroyo. "Dahil sa hindi isang presidente lang magbabago ng Pilipinas. (It takes more than one president to change the Philippines.) We have to activate a different kind of people power," he said. Nonetheless, Delos Reyes and Aquino assured Mrs. Arroyo that she would be given due process once the investigation kicks off. “Bibigyan po natin siya ng due process. Hindi po natin papakialaman yung adjudication," Delos Reyes said. (We will give Arroyo due process. We will not intervene in adjudication.) To ensure a fair trial for Mrs. Arroyo, Gordon and Madrigal said a justice secretary who is fair and an ombudsman who is unbiased must first be put in place. - RJABJr./JV, GMANews.TV