Palace not keen on initiating Holy Week ceasefire with critics

After exchanging barbs with its critics during the weekend, Malacañang is not keen on initiating a ceasefire with them during the Holy Week. Deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte said the Palace was merely defending itself when it hit back at the political opposition in past days. “Kami naman sinasagot din namin ang allegation sa amin. Siguro mas mabuti tanungin ang nagsisimula ng usapan kung ano ang kanilang mamarapatin sa Semana Santa," she said on government-run dzRB radio when asked if the Palace will appeal to the opposition for a political ceasefire. (We were just answering the allegations hurled at us. Perhaps it would be better if you ask our critics who started it all what they plan to do during the Holy Week) On Saturday, Malacañang hit back at former President Gloria-Arroyo for her claims that the Aquino administration has been obsessed in demonizing her. Mrs. Arroyo, now Pampanga congresswoman, claimed on Friday that there is a “vacuum of leadership" in the Aquino administration, which she said failed to address various crises. Valte, in response, said they were merely addressing the problems that she said they inherited from the Arroyo administration. “Nobody will dispute na meron tayong ginagawa. Pagdating sa sinasabing allegation na dine-demonize siya, hindi natin maiwasan i-address ang naging problema. Tayo ay nagmana ng problemang yan, masabi natin anong inabutan natin nang dumating si Pangulong Aquino noong June 30 sa Palasyo," she said. (Nobody will dispute that we have been working. As to her claims we are demonizing her, we just cannot avoid addressing our problems. We inherited those problems from her when President Benigno Aquino III assumed office last June 30.) Valte also took a dig at Arroyo’s allies over their contrasting statements on how they would hit back at the Aquino administration for what they called its attempts to use them and Arroyo as scapegoats for its supposed failures. The Palace likewise chided Sen. Joker Arroyo for scoring the Palace’s silence on a Supreme Court decision favoring businessman Eduardo “Danding" Cojuangco Jr., uncle of President Benigno Aquino III, over his 20-percent stake in San Miguel Corp. “It shouldn’t be taken against us (that) we want to be prudent before addressing a particular issue," she said. “Hindi basta-basta. Kailangan talagang bigyan ng pag-aaral (This is not something we can take too lightly. That’s why we are studying this thoroughly)," she added. In the meantime, Valte said President Aquino plans to continue working during the Holy Week, particularly monitoring the flow of traffic in and out of Metro Manila. Aquino plans to take a half-day off on Good Friday, she added. - KBK, GMA News