NP stalwarts deny being source of fake medical report on Noynoy

The Nacionalista Party and vice presidential bet Senator Loren Legarda on Friday denied being the source of an alleged psychiatric report on Liberal Party standard bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III. In a press statement, the NP reiterated that it denounces the use of black propaganda in the campaign. It believes that "there are far more important issues that need to be attended to than resorting to black propaganda." Legarda likewise denied any knowledge of the purported medical report, which included a number of adverse conclusions about Aquino’s psychological condition. (See: Noynoy: Psych claims smack of detractors’ desperation) "I cannot comment on your question dahil hindi ko pa nababasa o nakikita yang report na sinasabi nyo (because I have yet to see or read that report you’re referring to)," the senator told reporters in Marilao, Bulacan when sought for comment. She added that it is impossible that the NP and her party Nationalist People's Coalition will release fake documents because from the very start they have tried to elevate the level of debate in the electoral campaign. "I can look at you straight in the eye, wala akong nababasa pa na ganyan (I haven’t read any such report)," Legarda said. She, however, said that the true medical certificate of candidates, if there is any that should be made public, should be released to the people. "Karapatan ng taumbayan na malaman kung tutuo, pero kung gawa-gawa lang ay dapat i-condemn (It is the right of the people to know if a report is true, but if it’s merely fabricated then it should be condemned)," she said. She added that the people should also look at the political infighting within the Liberal Party. In a press statement, NP senatorial candidate Adel Tamano said it is Aquino who stands to benefit from the release of a questionable psychological report on the state of his mental health. He further said the alleged psychological evaluation of the Ateneo de Manila University on Aquino would do more harm than good to NP. “I think the LP will be the one to benefit kasi lalabas na masama kami (because we will be shown to be villains)," he said. Tamano also said that with rumors about the LP standard-bearer suffering from some mental disorder, the release of a questionable psychiatric evaluation report would only “diffuse" the damage when a real and genuine psychiatric report showing Aquino to be mentally unsound indeed comes out later.—JV, GMANews.TV