‘I’m proud to tell you Butch Abad is my father’

MANILA, Philippines - Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief Julia Abad has defended her beleaguered father, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, from allegations that he is involved in the pork barrel fund scam.

In a note that Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima reposted on his Facebook page, the younger Abad said the public must not let alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles “shake our belief that a reformist public service is possible.”

“It is what I go to work for every day,” she said.

“I am Julia Abad, government employee, wife and mother. And I am proud to tell you, Butch Abad is my father,” she added.

Secretary Abad was a congressman of Batanes, a post his wife Henedina now serves.

The PMS chief said she knows how it is to be a daughter of “activist parents” even though she was “reluctant” to join public service. She said she was only prevailed upon by her parents and close friends.

“I was not sure I had my parents’ unshakeable faith. Today I find that I am able to give my work all that I have. There is much work to be done, and as my parents have taught me and shown me, we must all do our part,” she said.

Before joining the PMS, the younger Abad was among the staff members of then senator Aquino in 2007. Her father also served as consultant to Aquino, being close friends and allies in the Liberal Party. When Aquino became president in 2010, he appointed Abad as budget secretary and his daughter as PMS chief.

Secretary Abad has questioned the credibility of Napoles, who wants to become a state witness.

“I think she’s hallucinating. She’s been in bad shape for some time,” he said in an interview over dzRH.

“I really think that she is vigorously trying to get immunity from this and she’s been throwing around names,” he added.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who is reportedly evaluating the affidavit Napoles gave to her, said the information given had so far turned out to be positive, particularly allegations that lawmakers have been involved in the scam.

But Abad would not budge. He also said that Napoles apparently had been seeking an audience with him.

“I have heard that a number of times she had tried to arrange to have an appointment but my staff simply said no,” he said.