Press Release
October 23, 2007

PIMENTEL SLAMS LEAGUE OF PROVINCES FOR SEEKING AN END TO POLITICAL DISSENT

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today justified the call of the opposition and other administration critics for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the wake of the scandals over the national broadband network (NBN)-ZTE deal and the subsequent Palace attempt to payoff congressmen, governors and other local government officials in exchange for neutralizing the ouster moves.

Pimentel was responding to the one-page advertisement of the League of Provinces appearing in several dailies in which it called on administration detractors to "stop the political noise and focus on economic growth."

"I think our call for the resignation of Gloria will pave the way for more stability in government. Unless special elections are called, Vice President Noli de Castro would take over the reins of government."

The minority leader said the opposition cannot just close its eyes and keep silent in the face of the blatant act of bribery, rigging of government contracts and other fraudulent transactions being committed by the present administration.

Pimentel also defended the move in the Senate to investigate the payoff incident in Malacañang. He commended Pampanga Gov. Fr. Ed Panlilio and Bulacan Gov. Joselito Mendoza for speaking up on the distribution of P500,000 in cash to each of the governors who met with the President at the Palace Oct. 11.

However, he is not satisfied on the statement of Panlilio and Mendoza that they will see to it that the money will benefit their provincemates.

"Their action will perhaps salve their consciences but it will not erase the legal infirmity of the process. Meaning, there has been a violation of law. And that violation will not be erased by their assurance that the money will be distributed among the barangays, and they will not pocket it," Pimentel said.

The minority leader said the very act of the League of Provinces in putting up the newspaper ads, costing a lot of money, was questionable in itself due to the allegation that some governors were paid off by the Palace to come to the President's rescue now that she is confronted with another political crisis of her own making,

"They have so much money that is unaccounted for. Even the League of Barangays has a lot of money. You can see that somebody is really funding them massively to divert the attention of the people," he said.

On his suggestion for Vice President De Castro to succeed President Arroyo, Pimentel said it is not his intention to demean the Vice President but to challenge him.

"Let him prove himself that he is a better alternative than Gloria and that he will not steal the money of the people. That is our challenge to him."

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