Noynoy mum on campaign financiers

Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III on Wednesday kept mum about who contributes funds for his presidential campaign, saying he wants to keep the identity of his financial backers secret because some people associated with him had been harassed. "I kept silent on the sourcing of our funds primarily because people identified in pictures with us have been undergoing harassment," said Aquino in a press conference in Quezon City. Aquino said supporters were "harassed" by some people from the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Internal Revenue. "Parang tinulungan ka na tapos lalo pang sinentro yung bull's eye sa kanila (It's like you placed them dead-center on the bull's eye after they helped you)," he said. "I hope you understand I cannot answer that question." Aquino kept coy when asked whether Enrique Razon, head of multinational port operator International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), contributed to his campaign. "I met him. He was already a big businessman during my mother’s time. I met him [on] several occasions," said Aquino. Aquino's closest rival for the presidency, Senator Manuel Villar Jr., is facing a disqualification case before the Commission on Elections allegedly for receiving "prohibited" political contributions. (See: Villar's disqualification sought over ‘prohibited’ campaign funds) Villar has shrugged off the disqualification case filed by lawyer Ernesto Francisco, saying that filing such cases against him has been the “routine" of some people who want to gain media mileage.—JV, GMANews.TV