Opposition to Noy: Be more decisive in dealing with crises

MANILA, Philippines -  Opposition leaders yesterday urged President Aquino to be more decisive in dealing with various crises confronting the nation.

Lawmakers from the minority stressed they wanted Aquino to succeed but he should learn from the mistakes of past administrations.

Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong and Davao del Sur Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas in separate interviews said what is needed now is for all political groups to reconcile to allow the nation to move forward.

“Even if I’m with the opposition, I want the President to succeed,” Cagas said.

“Enough of blaming each other, waging vengeance and quarrelling. If I were PNoy (Aquino), I’d be wary of those trying to get in his good graces and sucking up to him just to promote their selfish interests and agenda.”

Cagas said Aquino should initiate moves for reconciliation and make concrete and long-term solutions to the problems that struck administrations past.

“PNoy would do so because he is the ultimate patriot and statesman as President,” he said.

Datumanong, for his part, said the best would be to help the President in the efforts to help the country and the people “instead of throwing mud at each other.”

Earlier, senior opposition leader Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez told reporters that the opposition got marching orders from Lakas-CMD president Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla to go on the offensive against the administration.

But Revilla denied the allegations with House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman (Albay) who said the House minority bloc has been “reasonably critical of the haphazard policies and lackadaisical performance of President Aquino and some members of the Cabinet.”

Revilla said the opposition “is going to maintain this tempered posture and not engage in virulent and baseless opposition.”

Malacañang earlier bristled at the warning of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of a “vacuum of leadership” in the Aquino administration.

Lakas-CMD spokesman Raul Lambino welcomed Secretary Herminio Coloma’s statement recognizing the value of the opposition in a healthy democracy.

“This is why we also welcome Secretary Coloma’s challenge to keep our criticism ‘issues-oriented,’ even though-I must point out-it is the administration that has been engaging in demonization of our colleague in the House, Congressman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and those whom they perceive to be her allies,” Lambino said.

“Nobody else wishes more than us for the success of our elected leadership. This is why, as Congressman Arroyo recently warned, we are truly alarmed by the emergence of a ‘vacuum in leadership’ at the top. This is a problem that can be solved by paying more attention to the issues that matter to our people, and less on personalities and politicking,” he said.

In the heat of political debates, Lambino said the country’s political leaders must always endeavor to serve the people, especially the disadvantaged and poor.

For Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, whatever problems or defects perceived by critics on Aquino would not count for much because it is the will of the people that would still count the most.

Santiago admitted it would be difficult to find support on criticisms against the President considering that he secured his mandate legitimately and without any question from his opponents.

“Well he has this great moral capital in the sense that people rallied to his cause although he was a late coming candidate. He was a latecomer and yet he still won. This means that the people really like him and if that is the case then my rule of thumb is to let the people’s will prevail,” Santiago said.

“I’m always ready to grant presumptions to a new president and always ready to trust his judgment provided that he is a clear winner. If he was the one chosen then whatever his failures, liabilities or defects, we just have to follow the will of the people,” she added.

Santiago said she understood where the statements of her former ally were coming from because it was only natural that people from opposing political sides would criticize one another.

Like a script, Santiago noted Arroyo would say that she left the country in excellent shape and that her successor did not make good use of what was handed over to him.

On the other hand, Aquino as the successor would blame Arroyo for whatever failures by saying that he merely inherited all of his troubles.

“But we have to give all presumptions to an incumbent President. In political science, the rule is when it comes to executive decisions, we have to trust the President because only he, of all the officials in government, including the judicial and legislative branches, only the head of executive branch has full knowledge of what is taking place (in the country),” Santiago said.

Santiago said “the best rule of thumb is just trust your President because he has a lot of information that is not available to us as laymen or even to us as senators.” – With Marvin Sy