Former Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor has come to the defense of the embattled former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez and slagged the latter's critics.
Defensor took to Facebook on late Tuesday night, Sept. 20 and attested to just how loyal Rodriguez has been to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., even during the latter's low moments.
"The resignation of Atty. Vic Rodriguez days ago has deeply saddened many of those who knew the man behind the success of PBBM," Defensor said.
"At nais ko sanang magsalita sa gitna ng ingay ng mga taong tumutuligsa sa ating malapit na kaibigan, hindi upang dumagdag sa kaguluhan, kundi upang ituwid ang maraming ipinapakalat na kasinungalingan (I want to speak amid the noise coming from those assailing our close friend, not in order to add to the chaos but to straighten out the numerous lies coming out)," he said.
"I know for a fact that Vic has been and will continue to remain a loyal friend and follower of PBBM. This is not public knowledge, but Atty. Vic has been fighting alongside PBBM since his vice presidential bid in 2016," he said.
Defensor said Rodriguez was alongside Marcos when the latter protested the result of the 2016 race. "Even at a time when no one dared to be identified with BBM, Atty. Vic persistently stood by his side. No one believed BBM, but still he carried on."
"During the recent presidential fight, Atty. Vic and his team worked really hard for BBM to have a party, to have a fighting chance for the presidency. Again, many thought it was a battle already lost: for how can BBM win this time when he just lost the vice-presidency to the same opponent in 2016?
"When everyone else waited in the sidelines for Inday Sara to declare as President, ES Vic uncompromisingly pushed BBM's presidential fight," Defensor noted.
The former congressman then took aim at those assailing Rodriguez and gave them an unsavory tag.
"And now, many who are calling for Atty. Vic's ouster as ES were fencesitters to BBM's candidacy."
Rodriguez's resignation came at the heels of the sugar importation mess over the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) wherein 300,000 metric tons (MTs) was nearly imported to the country via an illegal order that didn't go through Marcos. Marcos is the concurrent Department of Agriculture (DA) secretary.
"It was actually ES Vic who stopped the haphazard act of the SRA to allow the importation of sugar. Kung pera-pera lang ito para kay Atty. Vic, bilyon dapat ang kikitain niya kung may limang piso per kilo siyang signing bonus sa 300 toneladang quota sa asukal. Pero hindi ganito ang pagkatao ni Atty. Vic (Had Atty. Vic been motivated by money, he could've earned billions via a P5 per kilo signing bonus from the 300-ton quota of sugar. But Atty. Vic isn't that kind of person)," claimed Defensor.
"He wants good governance, and his only fault is that he cannot accommodate everyone's appointment to the new administration, rejecting those with self-serving interests," added the former "Spice Boys" member in the House of Representatives.