FORMER Nueva Ecija governor Aurelio “Oyie” Umali on Wednesday called on his detractors to “not fool the minds and mislead the opinion” of their constituents for their self-serving agenda.
Umali reacted to the attacks on his persona and his family through the media over his supposed involvement in the Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel scam.
He said he has not yet received any order from the Office of the Ombudsman denying his motion for reconsideration.
“I just don’t know where they (critics) got such interpretation that I can no longer run for any elective position. Clearly this is just another one of those dirty politicking by my detractors designed to condition the minds of my beloved Novo Ecijanos,” Umali said.
“This is nothing but a reflection of their desperation. They are hurrying up to discredit my name by making premature and sensational conclusions but their irrationality is glaringly seen,” he said.
The three-term governor, the husband of incumbent Nueva Ecija Gov. Cherry Umali, stressed that their family and their supporters “invested blood, sweat and tears” to bring change in Nueva Ecija thru sincere and honest public service to Novo Ecijanos.
“Politicking is yet too early. We should focus on how we could deliver true and faithful public service, instead of criticizing people left and right,” he said.
“What they are doing, using the media to spread lies and attack people, is just a waste of precious time and money that should had been better spent addressing the needs of our constituencies,” the former governor added.
The people themselves are aware of their “cheap black propaganda,” the latest of which is what Umali called a “bogus story” over the Ombudsman’s alleged denial of his plea.
“Don’t treat our constituents as ignorant of the law,” the ex-governor said.
He believes the Ombudsman would reverse its previous decision dismissing him from government service for lack of merit.
He said former vice governor Edward Thomas Joson has an axe to grind against him when he defeated the latter in the 2010 gubernatorial elections.
Umali said more than 20 cases had been filed by the Joson and Vergara clans against him and his family, of which “90 percent” had already been dismissed for insufficiency of evidence.
“They have not stopped their dirty politicking. Come hell or high water, they will do anything to besmirch our reputation,” Umali said. “But that will not discourage us from doing good for our constituents.”
“We will continue to give them the best of our public service,” he said.