Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte arrives to a cheering crowd for his campaign sortie in Tondo, Manila on Tuesday. Duterte kicked off his 90-day campaign addressing Tondo residents, mostly migrants from Visayas and Mindanao, with a promise of decentralizing development in the country.(MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) − Vice presidential candidate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday said his running mate, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, finds the evidence against former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo over alleged misuse of intelligence funds weak.
Duterte was earlier reported to have said that he intends to release Mrs. Arroyo if he becomes president. Incidentally, Cayetano is one of Mrs. Arroyo’s critics and was even one of those who led the impeachment team against the former president.
Mrs. Arroyo has been under hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City since 2012 pending the resolution of her plunder case at the Sandiganbayan over her alleged misuse of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s (PCSO) intelligence funds.
“Dito kay GMA, tinanong si Mayor base sa kasong nakasalang ngayon, which is the PCSO intelligence funds. All those in government know that the intelligence fund kapag binuksan, iyong amount lang—at COA [Commission on Audit] chair lang pwedeng magbukas—nakalagay buying information, safe houses, etc. Sabi ni Mayor Duterte, mahina ang ebidensya sa kaso na iyan,” Cayetano said.
“At ako po, three years akong minority leader… First two years ng Aquino administration, sinabi ko sa kanila, ‘Bakit mahihina iyong kaso n’yo kay GMA? Bakit ang Hello Garci hindi n’yo tinuloy kasi marami kayo sa Liberal [Party na madadamay]? Bakit ang Fertilizer Scam hindi n’yo tinuloy kasi maraming kakampi ng Presidente ay nandoon sa Fertilizer [Scam]?’” Cayetano added.
Cayetano also clarified that Duterte never said that he will give Mrs. Arroyo immunity in other cases. He also stressed that he believes that Duterte views justice the same way he does.
“Huwag pong mag-alala ang ating mga kababayan… I don’t think magkaiba kami ng stand. Yes, he may have a soft spot for the ex-president dahil tinutring niyang boss at marami silang ginawa together for peace and order sa Mindanao. Pero sabi sa akin ni Mayor, wala naman siyang sinasanto eh,” he explained.
“Ang sinasabi lang ni Mayor na kung mahina ang ebidensya doon, bakit mo siyang ikukulong for that case?” he added.
In a radio interview in December, Duterte said he will put Mrs. Arroyo under house arrest because the allegations against her have yet to be proven. (MNS)