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MANILA, Philippines – Three weeks before the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 23, House Minority Leader Quezon Rep Danilo Suarez enumerated the achievements and failures of President Aquino.
Suarez said he personally admires the President’s honesty. “Kung hindi honest ang President, matagal na nag-collapse ang gobyernong ito… Personally, admirer niya ako. Bihira magkaroon ng, masaktan na ‘yung masasaktan, leader na honest na katulad ni PNoy,” Suarez said on Wednesday, July 4.
Suarez is a close ally of former President Arroyo. During her administration, he was dragged in Arroyo’s controversial dinners when he claimed that he paid for the US$15,000 dinner at Bobby Vans in Washington, DC. Suarez is also a regular visitor of Arroyo at the Veterans Medical Memorial Center.
The House minority leader was, however, quick to say that honesty on the part of President Aquino is not enough.
“Though I have no iota of doubt on the honesty and sincerity and of the President on his program, it’s not enough. You have to be determined, you have to be sharp, you have to be ruthless both to your enemies and to your friends. Mukhang ‘yun ang weaknes ng Pangulo,” he said.
Suarez said some people around the President are making matters worse.
“This statement may hurt some of my friends in the administration. The problem is some of the administration officers are out to get even to people who made them miserable during the term of the preivous admin. That certainly will play a major role in the effectiveness of this administaration,” Suarez said. He did not elaborate.
PNoy is ‘vindictive’?
Suarez called also called on President Aquino to stop his supposed persecution of former President Arroyo.
“The continuing persecution of our colleague in the minority, Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, is a disturbing reminder of the danger posed to due process, human rights, and civil liberties by the President’s vindictiveness. We fear that this grandmother in poor health may be denied proper medical care by being transferred to a regular jail cell, purely on the strength of a flimsy legal case based on uncorroborated and poisonous hearsay,” Suarez.
He said the Aquino administration should also recognize the contributions of former President Arroyo to the economic growth.
“With this reputation and the goodwill of the international community, he has advanced foreign investor and creditor interest in the country — although he still refuses to acknowledge his debt of gratitude to the legacy of economic growth, fiscal reforms, and social programs bequeathed to him by his predecessor (former President Arroyo),” Suarez said.”
PNoy’s ‘shortcomings’
Suarez enumerated the following areas that, he said, President Aquino “has created, worsened, or failed to resolve.”
- Cutting off public spending, which slowed down the country’s economic growth by half in 2011. He said this has taken a toll on the Filipino people.
- Lack of transparency in the implementation of the Conditional cash transfers (CCT). He said CCT has “absolutely no effect on our people’s plight.” Suarez expressed concern that CCT “will be abused for campaign purposes in next year’s elections.”
- Increasing prices of commodities — rice, gasoline, transportation, tuition, and other essential commodities and services. He raised concerns over brownouts in Mindanao, which, he said, is now also threatening Metro Manila
- Perpetuation of corruption despite this administration’s anti-corruption slogans, he said. Corruption has increased everywhere — from revenue collecting and front-line agencies of the national government, all the way down to the smallest LGU, he said.
- Growing peace and order problems. He said kidnappings, assassinations, human rights violations, and other serious crimes are on the rise. Illegal logging and mining are unabated, he added.
- Citing a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the country is now one of the 3 Asian countries where amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) are mainly produced.
Suarez said the minority will present a “Kontra-SONA” after July 23. – Rappler.com
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