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Friday, September 26, 2003
Lakas won't back Joey, Kris not the reason
By She Caguimbal-Torres
MANILA -- Television host Kris Aquino's gun-poking allegation against Parañaque Mayor Joey Marquez may cost him the support of the Lakas Christian-Muslim Democrats on his plan to seek a congressional seat next year.
But even if the incident did not happen, the mayor's chances of getting the party's support for his plan to run for Parañaque congressman is already slim, said Lakas executive director and presidential liaison for political affairs Jose Maria Rufino.
Based on the "equity of the incumbent rule", Rufino said the Lakas party is mandated to support the reelection bid of Parañaque Rep. Ed Zialcita.
Rufino said Marquez is aware of this and only if Zialcita will not seek reelection can the Parañaque mayor get the endorsement of the party for a congressional post.
"That's the rule. Sorry, it's hard but that's the rule," he added. Reports said Marquez was unable to convince Zialcita to run for another position.
Rufino said he feels bad about the arrangement since Marquez is his friend, but added they will not change the party's rules just to accommodate him.
He also admitted the controversy involving Marquez and the youngest child of former president Corazon Aquino does not look good for the outgoing mayor because top officials of Lakas -- like President Arroyo and Speaker Jose de Venecia, who are both chairpersons of the party; former president Fidel Ramos, chairman emeritus of Lakas; and Vice president Teofisto Guingona Jr., president of Lakas -- are "very close" to Kris Aquino's mother.
The Lakas executive director is not sure, though, if the matter will be brought up when the party's national directorate meets on Oct. 7. During this meeting, members of the party will be asked to tone down their criticisms of President Arroyo.
He admits several party members are still praying that Arroyo will change her mind and run in 2004.
Members of the Aquino clan said Thursday they are behind the game and talk show host following her scandalous break-up with her actor-politician boyfriend.
Sen. Tessie Aquino-Oreta and Makati Rep. Butch Aquino, siblings of Kris's father, slain Philippine hero Benigno Aquino Jr., expressed concern over the fate of their niece.
Oreta said she is saddened that Kris has become a victim of a violent relationship.
After the interview Kris gave Wednesday evening, which was broadcast live on national television, Oreta said the issue should already be closed.
"The media should not make a big thing out of it. Kris gave her piece. I think that is enough story," Oreta said.
She also lauded her nephew, Tarlac Rep. Noynoy Aquino, for acting like a father to Kris during her darkest hours.
Rep. Butch Aquino, on the other hand, wants Kris and Joey to part ways temporarily until the issue is settled.
The congressman from Makati clarified he has not spoken to Kris but has sent a message that he is behind her in her struggle.
Sen. Joker Arroyo, a close friend of former president Corazon Aquino, agreed the latest issue involving Marquez and Kris would no doubt affect the political career of the mayor, who is planning to seek a congressional seat in Parañaque in the next elections.
Deputy Presidential Spokesman Ricardo Saludo said Thursday Malacañang would not get involved in the Marquez-Aquino row and simply leave the issue to the proper authorities to resolve.
"Certainly the President obviously has very good relations with former president Aquino, but on this matter, the position of the government would be simply that we're here to enforce the law. If somebody alleges that the law was broken, then we're ready to listen and, based on the evidence, we will take action. But apart from that, the general policy is there's no other position that government is taking here. We're certainly not taking sides and certainly we are not expressing any delight in what has happened," he said.
He added that Malacañang is neither thankful nor delighted that the incident occurred and landed on the top news and front pages to overshadow controversies hounding the administration like the slump in the presidential approval ratings and the Jose Pidal issue.
Meanwhile, lawyer Frank Chavez, who served in former President Aquino's cabinet as solicitor general, has turned down Marquez as a client in any possible case Kris might file against her ex-lover.
Chavez and Marquez spoke on the phone for three hours on Thursday.
After the conversation, Chavez told reporters he refused to be the mayor's lawyer but that he would continue to serve as the beleaguered politician's legal consultant.
He later appeared on television to say he turned down Marquez as a client because he did not want to hurt Kris Aquino. "I don't want to hurt Kris Aquino. If I hurt Kris, I would hurt the former president. And I don't want to do that," Chavez said.
He said he advised Marquez to "reach out" to his former girlfriend instead of fighting with her in the media.
"My advice to him is that, this is basically a private matter...that he should reach out and try to patch up things with Kris," Chavez said over radio station dzMM.
He added there were "very reliable indications" that his client would try to patch things up with Aquino.
"This won't do them any good because all the dirty linen is coming out in the public and they will just end up hurting each other," said Chavez.
Among other things, Aquino told co-host Korina Sanchez Wednesday that Marquez had given her a sexually transmitted disease and pointed a cocked gun at her during a fight in the mayor's condominium in Fort Bonifacio, Makati City.
She said that during other fights, Marquez had called her previous lover, actor Phillip Salvador, a "bum." Salvador is the father of Kris's son Joshua. Marquez also called her former boyfriend, Robin Padilla, "an addict and an ex-convict."
Aquino moved viewers when, near the end of her interview, she asked for the forgiveness from, among others, her son Josh, whom she said she had neglected because of Marquez, and the mayor's estranged wife, actress Alma Moreno, and her children.
In a separate interview over another television network, Marquez, denied again that he had hurt Kris or that he had pointed a gun at her.
He said he could not bring himself to point a gun at any woman, especially at someone he loves.
Aquino has since reported the incident to police authorities and is still considering whether or not to file charges against the mayor.
At the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Division, Sr. Supt. Gerry Barias said that as far their records show, Marquez does not have a 9mm gun.
"Mayor Marquez has several guns but no 9mm. He has a caliber .45 and several other guns," Barias said. He declined to reveal what the other guns were "for the sake of privacy."
Barias also said Aquino, who might not be familiar with guns, might have mistaken a caliber .45 pistol for a 9mm gun. "She might not be an expert on guns so she was not able to identify it and mistook a .45 with a 9mm."
One a case is filed against Marquez, Barias said he could have the mayor's firearms confiscated.
(September 26, 2003 issue)
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