Palace denies hand in Aquino second term ad

Natashya Gutierrez

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'We have nothing to do with those advertisements,' says Malacañang of the ad urging 8 million signatures to convince President Benigno Aquino III to run again

TWO MORE YEARS? An ad urges President Benigno Aquino III to serve another term, while Malacañang denies any hand in the ad's release. Malacañang Photo Bureau

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang has denied any involvement in paid newspaper advertisements calling for a second term for President Benigno Aquino III.

On Tuesday, September 30, full-paged ads parading the administration’s achievements filled major dailies. It then concluded that “PNoy is still the best and only successor.” PNoy short for President Noy, Aquino’s nickname.

The ads are supposedly paid for by the Movement for Reform, Continuity and Momentum or More2Come.

The ad also said “the most feasible way to effect a second term is through a Constituent Assembly, for Congress to propose and Amendment to the Constitution allowing reelection for an incumbent President.” It also suggested a “signature campaign to gather 8 million signatures asking him to run again.”

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said he is aware of the advertisements but said the Palace had no hand in their release.

“We have nothing to do with those advertisements,” he said. He also denied that Malacañang or Aquino have any ties to More2Come.

Asked whether 8 million signatures would sway the position of the President on a second term, Coloma said Aquino himself had already said “it is the people themselves that will carry the responsibility of ensuring the reforms started will continue” but that Aquino has not yet made a decision regarding re-election.

He said the public has the right to express their views and opinions. Coloma also admitted that the ads “are impossible to ignore.”

Aquino had said he is open to a second term if the people willed it and that he would listen to the voice of the people. Currently, the Constitution allows only one 6-year term for a president. His term will end in 2016.

Despite such pronouncements, Aquino had repeatedly indicated he would step down in 2016. Aquino has yet to endorse a successor, but Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II – who gave up his presidential bid in 2010 to make way for Aquino’s candidacy – is the presumed standard bearer of the ruling Liberal Party.

The ad said Aquino is an “honest man” and his continued leadership is the only way “to make sure that the country stays on course.”

“We must maintain the momentum and continuity!” it said.

It added that Aquino is the best choice since the “most visible successors are in a bind.”

“One is beset by fatal corruption baggage and the other by perennial low ratings. The others are simply inexperienced,” it said, apparently referring to Vice President Jejomar Binay, Roxas, and other names being floated as possible presidential contenders who have had little or no experience in national leadership.

The ad comes a day after the release of a September Pulse Asia survey, showing Vice President  Binay still ahead in the presidential polls, if elections were held that day, with 31% of respondents favoring him.

Binay faces corruption charges regarding an alleged overpriced Makati government building, which is being probed in the Senate. His former allies in Makati City have accused him and some members of his family of getting kickbacks from Makati projects and programs, and using dummies to acquire land and businesses.

The survey also shows a rise in Roxas’ numbers from 7% in June to 13% in September, although he is still a distant second to Binay.

It is unsure who is behind More2Come. A quick internet search yields no results for the group that supposedly paid for the ad.  Rappler.com

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Natashya Gutierrez

Natashya is President of Rappler. Among the pioneers of Rappler, she is an award-winning multimedia journalist and was also former editor-in-chief of Vice News Asia-Pacific. Gutierrez was named one of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders for 2023.