Arroyo camp hits Aquino for failing to keep fuel prices low

UPDATED 4:30 p.m. - The camp of former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo has criticized the administration of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III for failing to keep fuel prices down. In an interview over radio dwIZ on Tuesday, Arroyo’s spokeswoman Elena Bautista-Horn criticized the Aquino administration for failing to keep fuel prices down amid high world oil prices. On Tuesday, fuel companies Shell and Chevron imposed a new round of fuel price hikes: 60 centavos per liter for gasoline and 25 centavos per liter for diesel. Horn mentioned that her boss, Arroyo, was successful in keeping fuel prices steady during her watch in 2008. “Siguro let our record speak for itself ... Ngayon $110 per barrel lang bakit P61 ang pump price? Noong [2008] $147 per barrel ang presyo ng krudo sa international market, hindi tayo umabot doon," Horn said. “Those are the data from the past. I think the numbers will speak for itself," she added. On the other hand, Malacañang on Tuesday reiterated that the government has no control over the prices of fuel products as it is dictated by the market forces. “While tama naman po ‘yon (figures), gusto lang po natin ipaalala na wala naman pong control ang gobyerno kung ano po ang magiging presyo ng langis lalo naman po sa world market because it’s dictated by market forces," deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told reporters. "In the end, ‘yung nagagawa po natin, ‘yung naipapaabot po nating tulong sa ating mga kababayan ‘yung magiging gauge po ng performance," she said. Valte said the President should be allowed to do his job. “Natapos na po ‘yung termino ng dating Pangulo. Hayaan po nating gawin po ni Pangulong Aquino ‘yung nararapat at ‘yung kanyang trabaho," she said. She said the Aquino administration cannot help but blame the Arroyo government for the situation the country. “Sila po ‘yung nandito bago po kami eh. Hindi naman po kami ‘yung nandito before June 30. So kung sino po ‘yung gumawa, ‘yun po talaga ‘yung mapagtutuunan ng pansin. Hindi po natin maiiwasan ‘yon," Valte said. "Hindi naman po kasi pwedeng ‘yung walang ginawa ‘yung sisisihin natin eh. Syempre if you are the one who was there previously, it’s responsibility eh," she added. "Vacuum of leadership" Horn’s criticism came days after Arroyo on Friday said there was a "vacuum of leadership" under her successor, Aquino, who she said, failed to address critical national issues. Arroyo also claimed that the Aquino administration was "demonizing" her or making her appear before the people as evil or dangerous. However, on Saturday, Valte said the Aquino administration was not obsessed in demonizing Arroyo. “Nobody will dispute we have been working. As to her claims we are demonizing her, we just cannot avoid addressing the problems we inherited from her when President Aquino assumed office last June 30," Valte said in Filipino on government-run dzRB radio. Valte also criticized Arroyo’s allies who claimed that the Aquino administration was using previous government officials, including Arroyo, as scapegoats for the supposed failures of the new sets of leaders. On Monday, in a press briefing presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said “I think the statement of former President Arroyo is sourgraping." “She believes that she is politically being harassed because of the recent turn of events with respect to her son," Lacierda said. Lacierda was referring Ang Galing Pinoy party-list Rep. Mikey Arroyo, who was slapped with a tax evasion case by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) earlier this month. The BIR on April 7 this year filed with the Department of Justice (DOJ) a tax evasion complaint against Mikey and his wife Angela. The BIR is requiring the couple to pay P73.85 million in aggregate tax liabilities accumulated from 2004 to 2009. Critical collaboration Meanwhile, in the dwIZ interview on Monday, Horn said the Arroyo camp will continue its "critical collaboration" with the Aquino administration. “Magsasalita kami kung kailangan magsalita at magko-cooperate kung kailangan mag-cooperate. It’s Holy Week, ang aming position ay sana magtulungan tayo hindi magbangayan. Puro pulitika ang nakikita natin over the last few months," she said. “Let’s address the problems of Juan dela Cruz, huwag maging personality-based (Let’s not be personality-based). It’s not really helping the country," she added. Horn contested claims that the Arroyo camp started hitting back at the Aquino administration because of the tax evasion charge against Mikey. Horn contested claims by Malacañang that Arroyo was “paranoid" and has no moral ascendancy to criticize the Aquino administration. “There’s no perfect administration. The important thing is to face the problems affecting the country. The minority and opposition’s role is to provide critical opposition. But if the administration refuses that help, you can only do so much," she said. “You look at how things unfolded in the last few months, sila lang nang-aaway sa amin. Nagsasalita kami kung sobra ang ginagawa sa amin. Pero hindi kami nakikipag-away," she said. — with Amita Legaspi, LBG/VVP, GMA News