Noynoy: Donors we rejected went to NP

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY , Philippines  – Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III believes campaign donors that they had rejected have gone to the Nacionalista Party.

Speaking to reporters covering his campaign sorties in Mindanao, Aquino said the LP has been assessing donors and has rejected those with dubious characters and ulterior motives.

“Some of them have gone to our opponents,” he said. “The bottom line here is net gain. Net plus or minus? If minus, no thanks.”

Aquino said donations should conform to the LP platform on good governance and accountability.

“At the end of the day, the overriding concern is, can we count on your word,” he said, stressing importance on word of honor and that there was no room for traitors.

Aquino refused to say who among the rejected campaign donors went to the other party.

Earlier, Aquino said the NP has been indiscriminately accepting defectors from Lakas-Kampi-CMD.

While the LP has accepted some administration figures like Albay Gov. Jose Salceda, it has also turned down many high-level administration officials, he added.

Aquino said the LP screens defectors before they are accepted because the LP is running on an anti-graft platform and many of its members are “purists.”

Aquino: JDV’s wife can be an ally

Aquino can forge an alliance with congressional candidate Gina de Venecia rather than the party of her husband, former speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.

Aquino said they are helping the candidacy of Mrs. De Venecia, who was a close friend of his mother, President Corazon Aquino.

“She had been there helping my mom,” he said. “Manay Gina is somebody who has always told us the truth whether it’s good or bad.”

Aquino said Mrs. De Venecia is acceptable to the LP and there’s no issue concerning her.

Mrs. De Venecia is running for Congress in the fourth district of Pangasinan – replacing her husband who is now on his third and last term – under the banner of the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

She has an alliance with Dagupan City Mayor Alipio Fernandez, who is seeking re-election under the LP.

Mrs. De Venecia is also allied with the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino of former President Joseph Estrada, who is taking another shot at the presidency.

Aquino said he is also open to the prospect of having former President Fidel Ramos in the LP.

An alliance with Lakas, a group Ramos and De Venecia founded in 1992, would be a possibility, he added.

However, Aquino said De Venecia has to pass LP scrutiny first, apparently wary of the former speaker’s penchant for rainbow coalitions.

Aquino said he would seek clarification first before commenting.

“But bottom line… we want to transcend politics on a personal nature, or personality-based politics, it has to be the whole nation that’s important.”

“But there is that possibility (of LP forging an alliance with Lakas).”

Aquino said it was during the Ramos administration that the country achieved its highest tax collection.

“Tax collection efficiency was at its peak during his presidency,” he said. “Perhaps he (FVR) can assist us in doing the same, especially since PGMA (Mrs. Arroyo) allowed it to go down to about six percentage points, a very substantial drop given the fact it was previously 18 (percent).”

Ramos has yet to announce his preferred presidential candidate.