THE camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay lashed back Friday at Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II, accusing him of disrespecting and twisting the law to advance his own selfish agenda.
On Thursday, Roxas mocked Binay as an “expert in graft and corruption,” after he explained the difference between the two to a group of students in Dumagete City in Negros Oriental, a Roxas bailiwick.
Roxas “commended” the vice president for sharing his “expertise” on the subject.
Binays spokesman, Rico Quicho shot back Friday.
“The vice president was speaking as a lawyer. The difference between graft and corruption is something clear to lawyers and those who understand and respect the law,” Quicho said.
“This is something that is lost to Secretary Roxas and the LP administration, who do not respect the rule of law and twist the law to advance their narrow and selfish political agenda.”
Quicho also twitted Roxas, saying the administration had no expertise in improving the lives of poor Filipinos.
“Its expertise is in ruining independent institutions and misusing the law against political enemies.” Quicho said.
Quicho also criticized the Aquino administration for being unable to improve the lives of Filipinos.
“If you look back at the track record of the administration that Roxas wants to continue, it has failed to lift the poor from poverty, provide food and jobs for majority of Filipinos.” he said.
In a forum on countryside development organized by Galing Pook, Binay also blamed Budget Secretary Florencio Abad for the administration’s underspending.
In the last Cabinet meeting he attended, Binay said, President Benigno Aquino III asked each department why it was underspending. Each agency head pointed to Abad, Binay said.
Binay said Roxas was the one behind the smear campaign against him, and his remarks Thursday only confirmed that belief.
In a presidential forum Friday at the Ateneo de Manila University, Binay repeatedly denied that he was involved in graft and corruption cases.
Roxas, in a chance interview, said Binay should answer the accusations against him rather than point fingers at other people.
“Is it true that the [Makati Parking] building was overpriced? It’s very simple. Even the [Makati] medical building. He can just say whether its true or not. For me, he had all the opportunities,” Roxas said. With John Paolo Bencito