Abads kamag-anaks not a problem for Noynoy

MANILA, Philippines - Having four Abads in government does not bother President Aquino.

Mr. Aquino vouched for his Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad Jr.’s integrity during a chance interview after he had sworn in officials of the League of Cities of the Philippines at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall in Malacañang.

He said Abad underwent the same vetting as all candidates to government posts did, and reminded journalists that the Cabinet member has yet to be accused of any wrongdoing in any of the posts that he had handled.

“I’m very confident that they will be able to prove that he is qualified for the position,” he said, asking at the same time if any of the Abads were linked to any anomaly.

Abad also served as Aquino’s Liberal Party (LP) campaign manager, while his daughter Julia, who served as the President’s chief of staff when he was senator, heads the President Management Staff (PMS).

Aside from the PMS, Julia has also been designated to take charge of the President’s Social Fund, dubbed as presidential pork barrel, which is estimated to be at least P500 million a year.

Abad’s son Luis is chief of staff of Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima. His wife Henedina is representative of Batanes and is said to be interested in becoming vice chair of the House appropriations committee.

Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, who belongs to the LP, will most likely chair the appropriations committee.

“First of all, I don’t think we violated any law. Second, I think they have proven their worth,” Mr. Aquino said. “To critics who would not want to give a honeymoon period, salamat na lang (thank you).”

Mr. Aquino described Abad as his “senior mentor and colleague” in the House.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda also defended the Abads.

“They are very competent. Their qualifications will speak for themselves. All these concerns about too many Abads, it’s all speculative,” he told a press briefing. “They have, so far, for the past few years, proven their integrity and competence.”

“They have not been tainted with any allegation of graft or corruption. Let’s wait for their performance. Let’s see in the next few months how they fare and I guarantee you that they will be just as competent and their integrity will be just as intact,” he said.

“Their competence will prove them; their integrity will prove them. President Aquino trusts them. You must remember, when you’re choosing Cabinet members, you have to have the trust and confidence of the President,” he said.

Proven capability

Meanwhile, a neophyte congresswoman defended yesterday the presence of two Abads in the Aquino Cabinet.

“They are people with proven capability and solid academic backgrounds,” Davao City Rep. Mylene Garcia-Albano said.

“They are the kind of people sorely needed in public service and have in fact served in government with never the slightest cloud of doubt about their integrity, which is unassailable,” she said.

“Individually, their qualifications are solid. Why should their being from one family be taken against them?” she asked.

Garcia-Albano, a bar topnotcher and former chief of staff of former Sen. Mar Roxas, is the wife of former Isabela congressman and now Vice Gov. Rodolfo “Rodito” Albano III.

She belongs to the prominent Garcia political family in Davao City. Her father Manuel and brother Vincent were former congressmen.

She defended the Abads in reaction to Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares’ statement that “it is really uncomfortable seeing one family getting several important positions in the Aquino government.”

Rep. Abad, for her part, defended her husband’s and daughter’s presence in the Aquino Cabinet.

“They have solid credentials,” she told reporters.

She admitted though, that she is interested in the vice chairmanship of the appropriations committee, the panel that scrutinizes the annual budget despite the fact that her husband is budget secretary.

“There is no conflict of interest. Besides, we have the same advocacy, which is to use every peso in the budget for development,” she said.