Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado said this will be the second time she will not be attending Aquino’s SONA, which is scheduled July 28 at the House of Representatives’ complex in Quezon City.
“I have no intention of attending. This will be the second time…,” she said in an interview on dzBB radio.
On Friday, Revilla was placed under detention at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, after he surrendered to the Sandiganbayan.
Revilla faces graft and plunder charges before the anti-graft court in connection with the multibillion-peso scam.
Mercado said she and Revilla had been victims of a shame campaign by Aquino, adding Aquino is “bound to do that” in his SONA.
“Oh yes. Naging biktima na kami ng maraming [pamamahiya] and he’s bound to do that,” she said when asked if she expects Aquino to mention Revilla’s detention.
She added Aquino shamed her husband by telling people not to believe in “anting anting” and “agimat” during a speaking engagement in Cavite, Revilla’s home province.
In his speech in February, the president said the electorate should not take their chances on “agimat” or “anting-anting (amulets)” – a statement that could be construed as referring to Bong Revilla and his family.
Last Independence Day, Mercado said Aquino took a dig at showbiz workers when he claimed in his speech that the country does not need to elect people who can deliver scripts or song and dance numbers.
“Hindi natin kailangan ng magaling bumigkas ng script, mahusay sumayaw, o kaya magaling kumanta,” Aquino had said in his speech.
Revilla is a movie actor and television personality, while Mercado is a former actress and television host.
Meanwhile, Mercado said she continues to pray for “true justice,” saying she believes there is “selective justice” under this administration.
“Naniniwala ako may selective justice talaga,” she said. — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News
