
By: Elena Grace Flores The mainstream media creates a stir that President Rodrigo Du30 just reciprocates the support he receives from the Ilocos Norte Governor during the 2016 Presidential elections. Now, Imee Marcos is a candidate for senator in 2019. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said this in defense of the President’s endorsement of Marcos’ Senate bid. However, he already discloses in an earlier interview that Du30 believes in Marcos, thus the reason for such endorsement. z
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[VIDEO]: President Rodrigo Duterte’s endorsement of a candidate means he believes the person is “trustworthy,” his spokesman said.
Imee Marcos is not Corrupt
Panelo explains that the 7 graft charges of Marcos’ mother, Congresswoman Imelda Marcos are not final and executory yet. Besides, Imee is not Imelda. The governor does not have a single case of corruption. The media stunt of her family’s rival, Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas eventually boomerangs to him. Fariñas runs for her current position opposing, Marcos’ son, Matthew Marcos Manotoc.
Tough Job
Panelo elaborates that endorsing Marcos does not contradict Du30’s stance against corruption. The Ilocos Norte Governor has not been charged with any corruption-related crimes in court. The President admits that he has a hard time fighting corrupt official because some of them are in his government pretending to be one with him.
Returning the Favor
The President is very vocal that he wants to help Imee because she’s one of two governors, who helped him in the (2016) campaign. Panelo said in a Palace briefing that the president just follows the Filipino culture of returning the favors to those who supported him in his own bid. This is a noble gesture that is given bad interpretations by their detractors.
Mainstream Media Confusion
The yellow press insinuates that Du30 recently reveals the names of senatorial candidates he would support for the May midterm elections. This includes Marcos. Her family allegedly has ill-gotten wealth during the regime of the late President Ferdinand Marcos. However, he’s the only president who has built significant infrastructures and improvements nationwide with every peso accounted for. The President who admires the Marcos patriarch condemns and fires government officials over allegations of corruption.
LP’s Selective Justice
Panelo insists that the President is not firing corruption-tainted government officials without prior “investigation.” The Palace official also defends Du30’s endorsement of plunder defendant and former senator Jinggoy Estrada. He was among the lawmakers charged with graft and plunder charges in 2014 for alleged involvement in the multibillion-peso Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam. Many believe that Estrada and another former Senator, Bong Revilla are victims of ex-Pnoy’s selective justice.