Vice President Jejomar Binay speaks to senior citizens in Amapola St., Barangay Pembo, Makati, Thursday. The city government of Makati has been under public scrutiny amid new allegations of having “ghost” senior citizens who reportedly receive benefits. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Malacañang on Wednesday accused Vice President Jejomar Binay of using the execution in Saudi Arabia of migrant worker Joselito Zapanta to criticize the administration.
“It’s in bad taste to politicize a tragedy whereas dapat, we should all rally behind…We have always stated that this is a team effort and they are now trying to politicize the whole situation,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing.
Lacierda said the opposition presidential candidate was being “disingenuous” in claiming that Malacañang was to blame over Zapanta’s death for failing to act on his proposals for the payment of blood money.
Zapanta was sentenced to death in April 2010 by the Riyadh Grand Court for killing a Sudanese national over a rental dispute. He was executed in December after his family raised only P23 million of the P48 million blood money asked by the victim’s widow.
In a statement on Tuesday, Binay said that his office submitted policy recommendations on providing assistance to Zapanta as early as 2012, but these were not immediately acted upon.
Binay served as the presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers’ (OFW) concerns until he resigned from the Cabinet in June last year.
Lacerida said it was unfair for Binay to single out President Aquino, who exhausted all efforts to try to save the life of Zapanta.
“I don’t (know) what the Vice President is doing. He’s blaming us,” Lacierda said.
“The President’s policy here is we work as a team. Are we a team where we are able to successfully save the life of a Filipino? And then laglagan na when hindi natin nailigtas ‘yung isang Filipino?” he added.
The Palace official cited the case of Mary Jane Veloso who was spared from execution by Indonesian authorities in April.
“Teka sandali, wasn’t he the OFW presidential adviser? Kung we are able to save a Filipino, he takes all credit. Kapag may nalaglag, pati si Mary Jane Veloso, which President Aquino interceded and obtained a stay he took credit. Tapos kapag may nasawi, “kasalanan ng gobyerno”. Hindi yata tama ‘yon,” said Lacierda.
Lawyer Rico Quicho, Binay’s spokesperson, disagreed with Lacierda saying showing deep concern and sympathy to a fallen Filipino is not politicizing the situation.
“It is called empathy, which this government has failed to show over and over again, particularly for our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs),” he said in a press statement.
He added: “Tragedy happens every time Sec. Lacierda skirts a national issue and chooses to ignore the administration’s responsibility to its people.” (MNS)