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Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Alvarez quits as Lakas spokesman
* Bunye says Romulo to have bigger role in governance once Arroyo starts campaigning in February
HEHERSON Alvarez, former presidential adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) affairs, resigned Monday as spokesman of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) following the inclusion of several opposition members in the senatorial slate of the administration coalition Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan sa Kinabukasan (K-4).
The opposition members are former Sens. Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Orlando Mercado and re-electionist Sens. Rodolfo Biazon and John Osmeña.
He also declined the anti-drug czar and tourism portfolios offered to him by Arroyo but he would remain as the party’s vice president for Luzon.
“To me, their presence in the administration’s K-4 line up is a complete disregard for a constitutional reform and negates our campaign against graft and corruption in the highest office of the land. These unmitigated political considerations within the Lakas CMD party are in complete disregard of the misery of our people who have suffered much from graft and corruption,” he said.
Sergio Apostol, Philippine National Oil Company-Energy Development Corp. (PNOC-EDC) president and Lakas co-spokesman, said they expected Alvarez’ decision after he started criticizing the composition of the K-4’s senatorial slate.
Bigger role
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo would play a bigger role in governance once Arroyo starts campaigning next month. The campaign period for national candidates is from February 10 to May 8.
“Some of the decision-making will have to be done at the level of the Executive Secretary (as) not every little decision will have to be brought up to the level of the President. That is really the traditional role of the Executive Secretary,” said Bunye.
Bunye said Arroyo would still monitor developments in government and be in constant touch with Romulo and the rest of the Cabinet.
Meanwhile, Bunye said critics should spare presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr., who like other aspirants, “should be afforded fair and equal opportunities.”
“In any electoral contest, once a contender submits his or her certificate of candidacy, there is always the presumption that everything is in order and that all the qualifications are met,” he said.
He added that Malacañang would not capitalize on the citizenship issue hounding the actor stressing that President Arroyo’s electoral bid “will not be marred by smear campaigns against other contenders.”
Arroyo on Sunday came out with a statement professing her belief that Poe is a Filipino particularly “in heart and in spirit.”
She added that the government is prepared to help Poe in answering the disqualification case sought by lawyers Andy and Victorino Fornier.
The Forniers filed the petition before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on the ground that Poe is not a natural-born Filipino for being a son of a Spanish father and an American mother.
Asked why Poe is being accorded special treatment by the Palace, Bunye said “the President is for full and equal opportunities for all. We are stating a general proposition principle that in any campaign all candidates should have equal and fair opportunities.”
He refused to answer when asked if the same treatment would be accorded to other presidential candidates, particularly Sen. Panfilo Lacson. SCT
(January 13, 2004 issue)
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