The camp of Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday offered unsolicited advice to Senator Imee Marcos who was tagged as being behind the insertion of a provision waiving election procurement safeguards in the 2021 national budget measure.
Vice Presidential Spokesman Barry Gutierrez said Marcos should provide direct answers to the allegation that she inserted such provision in the General Appropriations Act of 2021.
“Hindi ito maliit na bagay. Kung ikaw talaga magtutulak ng ganito, eh parang ikaw na ang nagbukas ng pinto para sa korapsyon, at dayaan sa darating na eleksyon,” he said on Robredo’s weekly radio show.
(This is not a small thing. If you’re really the one who will push for it, it’s like you open the door of corruption and cheating in the upcoming elections.)
“Wala naman sigurong tao na gusto siya iyong masisi para sa ganoon. Kaya kung hindi talaga totoo, ako, payo ko sa kanya sagutin niya nang diretso,” he added.
(No person would want to be blamed for that. So if it’s not really true, my advice to her is answer it directly.)
Robredo’s spokesperson advised the senator to face the allegation so she can also clear her name if she’s innocent.
A newspaper published a report on the alleged insertion made by Marcos on the proposed 2021 GAA.
Election lawyer Emil Maranon III earlier revealed in a Twitter post such provision would have given the Commission on Elections (Comelec) “carte blanche authority” to waive procurement guidelines in acquiring equipment and software to be used for the 2022 elections.
Gutierrez found it “ironic” for Marcos to do this if indeed true since she is the chair of the Senate electoral reforms committee.
“Alam naman natin sa ating kasaysayan, na isa sa mga pinakamalaking halimbawa ng dayaan ay nangyari noong kanilang yumaong ama, ang dating pangulo, ‘di ba, si President (Ferdinand) Marcos,” he said.
(We know in our history the biggest example of cheating happened during the time of her late father, former President Marcos.)