House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Friday shrugged off speculation that the government’s economic managers and some lawmakers were conspiring to oust her.
“You know, reports… those are all rumors, so why spend so much time and emotion on them?” she said during an inspection in Barangay Inararo, Porac, Pampanga.
Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno also called as “false news” the Manila Standard report on Friday that said he, along with Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, tried to oust Arroyo after she assumed the speakership in July this year.
In a short text message to the Standard, Diokno said the report was “false news. In the spirit of Christmas let’s stop this nonsense! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”
Manila Standard tried to get the side of Dominguez on the issue but he did not respond.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia also belied the Standard report.
“‹“Not true at all. Not for us to do that!” Pernia said in a text message.
The former assistant to President Rodrigo Duterte, Christopher Go, also waved aside the rumors.
“I think she enjoys the support of her colleagues in Congress and her working relationship with the President remains strong,” he said.
He added that only Congress can decide who is Speaker and said the President would not meddle in its affairs.
Go and Arroyo met briefly in Clark, Pampanga, where he was attending a Christmas gathering of Aetas.
“I was happy to see Speaker Gloria Arroyo drop by the place, along with [Pampanga] Gov. Lilia Pineda and Vice Gov. Dennis Pineda so they, too, could join the occasion and show their support for me. Their constituents were also there since the event was held in Pampanga,” he said.
“We greeted and exchanged ‘Merry Christmas’ to one another. I am also thankful that they advised me to go on helping people,” he added.
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