The President's Men and Women: Spokesman won't defend a public lie

MANILA, Philippines - He may be a neophyte in government, but this spokesman is definite and proud of one thing – that he will not “do a Bunye” and defend a public lie.

“I’m very confident that I will not be in a position like that of (former press secretary and presidential spokesman Ignacio) Bunye because President Aquino will not engage in any corrupt activity, and he will not countenance any such activity,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda told The STAR when asked how he would be different from his predecessors. 

The reference was to the infamous “Hello, Garci” scandal that broke out in 2005 when Bunye - who was forced to defend former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo - presented two separate CDs that purportedly contained her wiretapped conversation with former elections commissioner Virgilio Garcillano. Arroyo critics dubbed it the “lying, cheating and stealing” scandal.

Lacierda, 48, a lawyer by profession who served as presidential candidate Aquino’s spokesman during the campaign, likewise gave assurance that just like his boss, he will not be party to any malfeasance or misfeasance in government.

“And I’m very sure of that,” Lacierda stressed.

He also understands where the dangers are coming from, noting that the task of a spokesman is to convey to the public the President’s policies no matter how unpopular they are, regardless of his personal opinion.

“I regard this position with detachment. I’m very aware of the temporal nature of the job. I will do my job but I will not cling to this post. I’m just the spokesman, or a mouthpiece. It’s a difficult job but I’m learning,” Lacierda said. 

He said he has adopted as a personal policy the Latin maxim sic transit gloria mundi, which means, “Thus passes the glory of the world.”

Most apologetic spokesman

Barely a month on the job, Lacierda has earned the distinction of being the “most apologetic spokesman” to reporters covering Malacañang, as a television network got the scoop on two crucial occasions.

“I apologize for that. I promise it will never happen again,” Lacierda told Palace newsmen, repeating the same line he made on his first day in office when he was interviewed by the broadcast station.

As he did the first time, which could be understandable and may be charged to first day jitters, he did the same thing again last Friday - announcing over radio Mr. Aquino’s issuance of Memorandum Circular 2, extending state workers’ services until Oct. 31.

“I apologize to the Press Corps for hurting your feelings. My only concern was to allay the fears of state workers who were concerned about losing their jobs. But there’s no intent to favor ABS-CBN. I’m not an employee of ABS-CBN,” he clarified.

As a result, radio reporters covering the Palace got a dressing down from their bosses.

“Inadvertently, I forgot to break the news first with the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC),” Lacierda acknowledged.

Last July 1, Lacierda informed Palace media of a briefing in the morning, but reporters found out he was already being interviewed on television news channel ANC, making reporters wait for three long hours before he appeared at the briefing.

“I apologize for my mistake. I know I hurt so many feelings here. I’m sorry, I promise it won’t happen again,” Lacierda told reporters when he visited the press office shortly after his interview with the ANC.

Prior to this, Palace reporters later learned that ABS-CBN, where Presidential Communications Group Secretary Ricky Carandang used to work, managed to obtain an advance copy of Mr. Aquino’s State of the Nation Address, to the detriment of the MPC.

In a briefing, Carandang did not apologize but nevertheless assured MPC that it would never happen again. Carandang and Communications Group Undersecretary Manolo Quezon III used to be anchors of ABS-CBN.

“I know I come in here with that perception and I will do my best to make sure you know that it’s not going to be the case. I’ve tried to find out what happened there (SONA leak), if there were any lapses then we will correct that and we will make sure that doesn’t happen,” said Carandang. 

Lacierda took up the cudgels for Carandang. “I don’t know how ABS-CBN was able to get a copy of the SONA speech. But I know it didn’t come from Ricky because I was with him the whole time,” he said.

Misconceptions

Lacierda is glad that while he is a greenhorn in government service, he saw that not all views on government officials and public governance are true, particularly in terms of inefficiency and selfishness.

“I’m glad that I have some misconceptions that have been corrected. For one, I saw a devotion to service. There are so many selfless government officials. There is the dedication of officials,” he said, citing as an example the government’s preparedness for typhoon “Basyang.”

Nonetheless, the spokesman of President Aquino - who has so far the highest trust rating of 88 percent among all presidents - vowed to do his best in making public the programs and policies of the administration.

“I will avoid speaking out of turn with the President. I will be as simple and as straightforward as the President answers questions from media. The big difference (from previous spokesmen) is that there will be no dissonance of messages,” Lacierda stressed.

He also said he would be accessible to media. “I will be available when the President is not around.”

“Part of the communication is to be consistent with the President’s agenda. We will follow the instructions of the President,” he said.

Questions on government policies will be different though. “We don’t do policy. The policies will be dictated by the President and members of his Cabinet.” 

Multilingual

Lacierda got his law degree from the Ateneo de Manila and obtained his pre-law at the De La Salle University, where he pursued a Communication Arts degree. He had his secondary education at St. Jude Catholic School, located next to Malacañang.

He speaks four languages: Filipino, English, Fookien and Mandarin.

He served as junior associate in the law office of Roco, Bunag, Kapunan and Migallos from 1989 to 1991, then transferred to Quisumbing, Torres and Evangelista Law Offices from 1991 to 1992.

Lacierda teaches constitutional law at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and Far Eastern University.

He also lectures on criminal procedure, special proceedings, transportation law, sales and agency, partnerships, legal writing and the law and the Internet.

Prior to his designation as Aquino’s spokesman during the campaign, he was legal counsel and co-convenor of the Black and White Movement, a civil society group that helped the campaign of former senator Aquino.