Taguig denies city funds used for Cayetano ads

MANILA, Philippines - The Taguig City government yesterday denied allegations that its funds were used to produce the television advertisements of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) interim president and Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco earlier dared Caye-tano to reveal his source of funds for his primetime television advertisements.

“Rep. Tiangco continues to peddle lies against the detractors of his boss, Vice President Binay,” Taguig City Councilor and city government spokesperson Darwin Icay said in a statement.

Icay said Tiangco’s claims and allegations against Cayetano are similar to those against former Makati vice mayor Ernesto Mercado.

Tiangco earlier claimed that Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas visited Mercado while he was confined at a hospital. Mercado and the hospital denied the claim.

UNA earlier alleged that Roxas had a hand in the accusations against Binay.

“Because of these fabricated stories, maybe it is time for Tiangco to undergo a drug test. He could be hallucinating,” Icay said.

Icay added that Cayetano has always been at the receiving end of He from those he has exposed, “but he has never, and never will, waiver from his crusade against the corrupt.”

Tiangco earlier said Cayetano must produce records showing who paid for the production and placement of his 15-seconder and 30-seconder primetime TV spots.

The disclosure must include the advertisements’ production cost, estimated at P500 million, he added.

Tiangco said Cayetano has been “falsely advertising” Taguig City despite the Commission on Audit’s reports and findings of adverse overpricing, missing inventories, ghost employees, and overpayments in the city.

“How can Cayetano reconcile these actual and verified audit findings with his TV ad message?” he asked.