LIBERAL Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II sees nothing wrong in attending government events and discussing government programs even if he is no longer a member of the Cabinet.
Roxas made the statement following accusations from Bagong Alyansang Makabayan that administration bets were using government resources as camouflage for their electoral campaigns in the provinces.
“You know, our enemies, all of our good and beautiful deeds that we’ve done, they are saying that we should not use them, we cannot talk about them. But that’s our performance, that’s our track record,” Roxas said in a chance interview on Friday.
The militant group hit the ruling Liberal Party after Roxas and his running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, were invited as guests of honor at an event of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Mindanao, where they discussed the benefits of the conditional cash transfer, more popularly known as 4Ps or the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
Bayan slammed Roxas and Robredo for using government resources as campaign dole, saying that the event turned into “an obvious campaign sortie disguised as an official government event.”
Roxas, however, said there is nothing wrong about him and Robredo being invited in the DSWD event, citing the many benefits that the government’s dole programs have provided to many Filipinos in the countryside.
“We’re just being truthful to our countrymen, and they themselves are saying that their lives had become better. I’m not saying that everything’s perfect but we are saying that we should continue because there are those that we haven’t reach yet,” Roxas added, as he underscored his campaign of continuing to expand and strenghtening the programs of the administration’s “tuwid na daan.”
Roxas also lashed back at his critics who he said continue to criticize him and the Aquino administration on “selective justice,” saying that even administration allies were also charged by the Ombudsman.
“Funny how our critics are always shouting of selective justice, but when an LP member or an ally gets charged, they are asking, ‘o tamo, kala ko Daang Matuwid? Ano ba? Diba?’
Roxas cited as example Capiz Governor Victor Tangco Sr., and his son, Vladimir, who were ordered perpetually dismissed from government service by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales after he was found guilty of extorting P3 million from a private contractor for a district hospital project in his province.
Roxas said that he felt sad about Tangco’s disbarment from government service, but added that he respects the decision of Carpio-Morales, adding that the Office of the Ombudsman is an independent agency.
“This is proof that the government’s anti-corruption moves are all equal, and even LP members were charged by the Ombudsman,” Roxas added.
