Trillanes to GMA officials: 'Use money for people, not politics'

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV slammed the continued broadcast of tri-media advertisements featuring high-ranking government officials.

"As public servants, we should be using these meager funds to uplift the lives of the people instead of trying to uplift their standings in surveys," he added.

Trillanes expressed support for Magdalo lawyer Ernesto Francisco's suit against the government officials accused of using public funds in their political campaign.

Francisco earlier filed a complaint for injunction and mandamus (with prayer for the issuance of a temporary restraining order) at the Regional Trial Court of Manila, noting that "the paid advertisements, while purporting to promote the functions and activities of certain government offices or agencies or to espouse certain public interest causes or concerns are, on their face and in reality, clear political propaganda designed to promote the personalities and candidacies of the defendants and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo."

Among those named in the suit were: Vice President Noli de Castro, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita (for President Arroyo), Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr., Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) Chairman Ephraim Genuino, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) head Augusto Syjuco.

The complaint would require full disclosure of the sources used by the defendants, and deter any further allocation to paid advertisements, as well the return of the funds.

"They cannot fool the voters with expensive tri-media ads promoting promises they don't even intend to keep," said Trillanes.