NP vows sanctions vs member in fake Noynoy psych test

The Nacionalista Party (NP) on Monday vowed to punish any member found to have released the fake document alleging that Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III underwent psychiatric examination. NP officials also urged broadcast network ABS-CBN to name the source of the fake document it allegedly received from the party. The NP had earlier denied being the source of the spurious medical report on Aquino’s psychological condition, but ABS-CBN insisted that it got the document from the NP whose presidential bet, Sen. Manny Villar Jr., is Aquino's closest rival to the presidency. "The name of NP is unfairly being dragged, they [ABS-CBN] made a very big generalization that the document came from NP, but the NP officers and officials are saying that, no it wasn't us," Gilbert Remulla, NP spokesperson and senatorial bet, said at a press conference. "We are lifting whatever it is we have to lift [confidentiality clause], we are giving them the authority to please reveal the source," Remulla added. Sanctions Lawyer Adel Tamano, another NP senatorial candidate, said the source of the fake document, if proven to be an NP member, would be facing expulsion from the party “with a provision that he or she can never go back." He added that charges for damages – civil, moral and exemplary – and falsification would also be filed. "These really are remedies on our part. Damage has been done here and it’s damage to us, the NP and that’s why by keeping this information secret, not telling it to us, we are aggrieved but we really do not have any remedies, we have no one to punish. So it is again, most unfair to us that we are not given the opportunity to seek punishment of those who should be punished," Tamano said. But ABS-CBN refused to take up the NP's challenge, reiterating its statement Friday that they respect the confidentiality of their sources. It said naming its source "violates a sacred rule of journalism." NP senatorial bet Susan Ople said the name and the photograph of the supposed source should be published "para hindi siya makapanlinlang pa (so that he can no longer dupe people that he's still with NP)." "If that fake report indeed came from NP, I will be the first to protest and get out of the party and instead run as independent. They should name the source because that is disservice to public and to our party," she said. Martin Loon, representing his father, senatorial candidate former Marine Col. Ariel Querubin, said the source should apologize to Fr. Carmelo Caluag, SJ, Ateneo de Manila University, Aquino, and the NP. The three-page medical report bears the purported letterhead of the Ateneo de Manila University Psychology Department and has the signature of Fr. Caluag showing that Aquino had sought psychiatric help in 1996. T.O.P.A.K. Despite the NP's denials, the LP maintained that the NP is the source of the fake document. "Logical e, kasi nung una silang nag-press conference ang tema nila T.O.P.A.K, siyempre kelangan nila patunayan yung T.O.P.A.K. kaya naglabas sila nitong bogus na certification," said LP campaign manager Butch Abad at a press conference in Cubao. (It’s logical for us to blame them. After all, they held a press conference with a theme called T.O.P.A.K., to they have to prove that claim.) T.O.P.A.K., according to NP, stands for Trapos Opportunists and Kamag-Anak Inc. “Topak" is a colloquial Filipino term for someone who is crazy. Abad also slammed Villar for challenging Aquino to take a psychiatric examination. "Dapat yung kampo ni Senator Villar mag-submit to a lie detector test, hindi psychiatry test, kasi sila yung nagsisinungaling (The camp of Senator Villar should submit to a lie detector test – and not [talk about] a psychiatry test – because they're lying)," Abad said. At the same press conference, Aquino implied that it was Villar who needs to undergo psychiatric examination because the latter can't seem to accept that the alleged psychiatric record was fabricated. "May namimilit na gawing totoo yung hindi totoo. Sino kaya ang mas dapat magpa-examine (There's someone who insists that the unreal is real. Who's the one who needs to be examined)?" Aquino said. "Ayaw niya [tanggapin] yung reality na fake nga yun (He does not want to accept the reality that it is fake." Remulla said the NP candidates, especially Villar, are ready to undergo drug, psychological, and physical fitness examinations. Tamano said he would be undergoing a drug test in Camp Crame on Wednesday and a psychological and fitness test in the following days. "I personally will do that at kung gusto nilang sumunod mas maganda (and it will be better if they would follow) because we need leaders who are physically, mentally and spiritually ready to serve," he said. — KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV