Administration allies hit UNA

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) came under fire yesterday from administration allies for claiming that Malacañang itself might be behind an impeachment complaint against President Aquino.

They were reacting to a statement from UNA secretary general and Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco that the complaint could be th0e handiwork of the Palace itself or its congressional allies so that Aquino could continue giving pork barrel funds to his supporters or the latter could demand more “pork.”

They described Tiangco’s claim as “malicious” and asked him to apologize to the President and his supporters among members of the House of Representatives.

The STAR quoted the UNA official on Friday as saying: “I think it (impeachment complaint filed by Marcos loyalist Oliver Lozano) is a script of Aquino’s allies in Congress or by Malacañang itself. It’s crunch time. They have no PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) now. But they have the leverage to ask for more funds from the President.”

Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. said Tiangco made two insinuations: that the President himself could be behind the complaint against him so he could continue giving pork barrel funds to his congressional allies, or his allies were behind it so they could ask for more funds.

“Either scenario is insulting to the President and his congressional supporters. I don’t know from what side of his bed the gentleman from Navotas City woke up the morning he made those innuendoes,” he said.

He added that he is sure that Aquino would have nothing to do with a complaint that seeks his ouster from office.

As for Tiangco’s second scenario, Barzaga said he and his colleagues are not so greedy and so desperate for PDAF that they would inspire the filing of an impeachment petition against Aquino so they could ask for more funds from him.

“To tell you the truth, we were prepared to accept the absolute abolition of the PDAF. In fact, because of public outrage and anger against the pork barrel, if the President declared we have to take the PDAF out of the budget, we would have accepted it,” he said.

He added that the Navotas congressman’s insinuation is misplaced and unfair to House members.

For his part, Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said Tiangco “was just imagining things.” He said the UNA official should not be reckless in making statements because many people think that his UNA boss, Binay, shares such pronouncements.

In his statement, Tiangco said aside from bringing additional funds to administration allies, the Lozano complaint would also block the possible filing of a stronger impeachment case against Aquino for one year.

“It’s hitting two birds with one stone. The allies of President Aquino know that an impeachment case against him will not prosper in the administration-dominated Congress,” he said.

Barzaga reminded his colleague from Navotas that Lozano filed his complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman and not with the House of Representatives, which has the exclusive power to initiate impeachment proceedings.

“That complaint is doomed. It will not see the light of day, unless it is filed with the House and UNA supports it. That is the only time when the President is insulated from any other complaint. So my colleague from Navotas is again wrong. There is no stone, and there are no birds to hit,” he said.

He said instead of creating scenarios, Tiangco should explain why he denied that Sen. Jinggoy Estrada is his neighbor in the affluent Wack Wack subdivision in Mandaluyong City.