Friday 29th July, 2011
MALACANANG denied allegations that the Aquino administration allotted a multi-million peso public relations fund to further pin down former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who is accused of election cheating and corruption.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte made the denial on Friday in light of fresh attacks from Arroyo's legal spokesperson Raul Lambino, who accused the government of harassing the former leader in media. "The government has limited funds and of course that is not true. We would rather spend it where the money is needed," she said.
A newspaper report quoted Lambino as saying that the incumbent Pampanga lawmaker is now assembling a battery of lawyers to defend her in court.
Arroyo is currently facing various plunder cases, ranging from misuse of funds for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to failure to remit P72-million tax proceeds from the sale of the Iloilo airport in 2007.
"We have to remind them that the government is not in the forefront of filing plunder changes against her (Arroyo). They are private citizens while others are in public service but belonging to a separate and independent branch of government," Valte said.
Among those active in prosecuting Arroyo are progressive members in Congress led by Makabayan coalition and Akbayan, and retired Brigadier General Danilo Lim, who was detained for years after leading a botched mutiny in 2006.
Lambino also chided people behind moves to justify Arroyo's involvement in the alleged rigging of the 2004 presidential polls, as some policemen are now admitting that they switched election returns at the Batasang Pambansa to ensure her victory in the case of recount.
The Department of Justice and the Commission on Elections have already teamed up to probe allegations of poll fraud in 2004 and 2007.