Mikey says Hontiveros using mom to boost bid

One Response to “Mikey says Hontiveros using mom to boost bid”

1. taroogs says:

   January 8, 2010 at 6:16 am

   Here is Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros’ official rebuttal to this:

   The administration is evading the issue.

   Instead of responding to the allegation, they resorted to personal attacks. They claim that this is a mere publicity spin, that I am harassing the President, and, on the disqualification case, that I have no standing because I am not a Pampagueña.

   The response is severely ridiculous. That these projects involve public funds, and that they are being dispensed by a sitting President who is running for a lower position and who might resurrect herself as Prime Minister, means that the issue is imbued with public interest. The spending is relevant to the disqualification case that I have filed before the Commission on Elections.

   It is outlandish to claim that the expose is meant to harass GMA. Excuse me. How can you harass a sitting president?!? She has taken away Akbayan’s budget, I was once arrested by the police, so with all due respect, how can a Hontiveros harass a sitting President?!?

   On my lack of standing on the disqualification case, which implies that I am merely meddling in her district’s affair, this betrays their ignorance of the law, or, as we have seen in the past, their capacity to mangle our laws. A disqualification case may be filed by any person of voting age who possess grounds for disqualification as provided by our laws and our constitution.

   Ang tutuo lang, sa laban sa district 2 ng Pampanga, sa isang laban na pwedeng bumalik si GMA sa pwesto bilang Prime Minister, lahat ng Pilipino Pampagueño.

   The data from the Department of Public Works and Highways Region III Office is clear: GMA spent P459 million in infra projects in District 2 for 2009 alone, a year before the election. She spent less for other districts of Pampanga: P103 M for District 1, P182.7M for District 3, P85 M for District 4.

   As I have stated previously, on its face, and assuming that these funds were truly spent on infra projects, there is nothing wrong with multi-million public spending by the Executive. Simula pa lang ng economic crisis, paulit-ulit na kaming nanawagan ng mas mataas at labor-intensive na paggastos sa public works. Kailangan ito ng itong ekonomiya at kailangan ito ng mga Pampagueño.

   But that is not the issue. This is all about basic fairness and decent elections. We should oppose all machinations that make elections unequal: be it the use of private armies, the imposition of permits-to-campaign by the NPAs, the use of the military or election officials to pad votes, and yes, the exploitation of the highest office of the land of its own powers to win an electoral contest.

   Hindi magiging patas ang laban kung sa isang tunggali, ang isang kandidato ay kayang gumastos ng P459 million para sa kanyang distrito. Sigurado kami na ang kanyang mga kalaban kagaya ni Dennis Simpao ay wala ng ganitong halaga.

   This is the first time in the Philippines and maybe in the world that a sitting President, while enjoying her powers as the Chief Executive and thus has access to the vast resources of government, decides to run for a lower elective post.

   Can she, and should she be allowed to do so? Sa tingin ko ay hindi dapat. We contend that the interpretation on the constitutional ban on re-election for sitting Presidents should be guided by the other provisions of the Constitution, specifically the equal protection clause. If a sitting President is barred from running in a presidential race again to ensure fair play in the contest, then necessarily by implication, and perhaps with greater rigor, a sitting President should be barred from running in lower positions where contenders are more vulnerable to the undue influences and caprices of the Office of the President. There should be uniformity in the application of equal protection.

   As the sitting President, GMA exercises constitutional powers and mandate up to the time that elections are conducted. She can very well use these powers as the current President to influence the voters and the elections in Pampanga.

   Bilang incumbent, hawak nya ang lahat ng executive departments, bureaus, and offices. Sya ang Commander-in-chief, kung tingin nya ay kinakailangan, pwede syang mag-deklara ng state of rebellion sa District 2 ng Pampanga. Pwede sya magdeklara ng Martial Law sa District 2 ng Pampanga. Kaya nya bigyan ng malaking budget ang kanyang distrito. Kaya din nya na i-augment ang budget ng district 2 of Pampanga. Hawak nya at pwede nya i-supervise ang lahat ng local governments, lahat ng munisipyo at syudad at barangay ng District 2 ng Pampanga.

   Papano magiging patas ang laban kung ganyan ang kapangyarihan ng isang kandidato? Kaya nyang gamitin ang kanyang pwesto para gumastos ng P459 million para sa mga infra projects. Walang sinumang kandidato ang kayang tumapat sa kapangyarihan ng isang nakaupong Pangulo.

   Unfortunately, we have already seen that Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is not keen on playing fair. Nuong 2004, nagamit nya ang public funds para gamiting campaign materials ang Philhealth cards. Na-convert nya ang 2003 at 2005 budgets para sa road constructions at iba pang proyekto na nakabalandra ang kanyang pangalan at mukha. Nagkaroon na rin ng kontroberysa na kinakasangkutan ng road users tax at ng Ginintuang Masaganang Ani para pondohan ang kanyang kampanya. Ginamit nya ang kanyang pwesto para tawagan si Virgilio Garcillano para “protektahan ang kanyang boto”.

   Pano magiging patas ang laban kung napalawak ng kapangyarihan ng isang kandidato, at kaya nya itong abusuhin para makalamang? The sitting President is exploiting her powers and her position to influence the election as representative for the second district of Pampanga. What the constitution states is clear: this travesty must be stopped.

   (Pls see details and download the documents detailing the projects in http://bit.ly/85IzZO)