CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Senator and presidential aspirant Richard "Dick" Gordon said Friday he "will not favor" any province or particular region if he gets elected to the highest post in the country.
Gordon's statements came following reports that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has poured in some P459 million worth of infrastructure projects in the Second District of Pampanga alone.
Last week, Liberal Party Senatorial aspirant Riza Hontiveros sounded the alarm on the projects and assailed the President for the "lavish" outpour of assistance for the President's hometown when other areas in the country need more assistance than the district where she will run for congressman this year.
Governor Eddie Panlilio echoed similar sentiments on the issue.
He said "too much" has been given to the second district when other poorer districts like the fourth district, are in dire need of development projects.
Panlilio, showed and provided Sun.Star Pampanga a copy of the report of the Department of Public Works and Highways as a proof of what he branded as alleged "huge and extravagant" funding.
Malacañang has defended the half billion-peso worth of projects as reasonable and legal and that the second district direly needed that it, too.
But Gordon hinted there was some "favoritism" in the projects granted to the district and the province.
"Iyon ang nakakasama diyan eh. Sa palagay ko naman, mananalo ang Presidente sa kanyang distrito at hindi na niya kailangang bigyan ng hundreds of millions ang kanyang probinsiya. Dapat ay bigyan din niya ang ibang provinces," he said.
Gordon told Sun.Star Pampanga, "Kung minsan ganyan talaga ang pamumuno. But I won't do it na magkakaroon ako ng favoritism. Hindi mo maaalis na kuwestiyonin ng iba ang value ng pagbibigay noon perso kung dumating naman sa ayos ay salamat. Kung napagawa naman talaga ang mga daan, tulay at eskwela doon ay mabuti para sa mamamayan ng Pampanga."
He said though, he would include other areas if the amount is that big.
"Like I included Clark when I pushed for the development of Subic so that they are now linked together. So kung mas maraming makikinabang, the better," Gordon said. (Jovi T. De Leon)