Nancy on Abad: Let him go

MANILA, Philippines - Borrowing from Elsa of the hit Disney film “Frozen,” Sen. Nancy Binay yesterday sang the movie’s theme song, asking President Aquino to “let him go, let him go.”

Binay was referring to Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, whose resignation was not accepted by the Chief Executive.

“The decision was not only unfortunate but also a bad one. As said by Elsa, let him go, let him go,” said Binay, referring to the lead character in the animated film.

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito shared Binay’s view, citing the snowballing call for Abad to quit his post.

Ejercito denounced the Aquino administration’s logic of good faith in creating the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

“Whatever happened to daang matuwid (straight path)? Is a violation of the highest law of the land acceptable now as long as it was supposedly done in good faith?” Ejercito asked.

Probe sought

The opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) said yesterday President Aquino and other Malacañang officials should not clear Abad on the controversial DAP without an investigation.

“Does being with the administration guarantee total absolution from any misdeed?” Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco, UNA secretary-general, asked.

He was reacting to Aquino’s rejection of Abad’s resignation and the Chief Executive’s defense of his embattled budget secretary over DAP.

Tiangco said Abad and the Palace should tell the public where DAP funds were spent.

“What cards does Abad have in his sleeves that the President is so scared of him? Is P-Noy worried that Abad will take him down with him and tell all he knows?” he asked.

He said the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman “should investigate Abad, the same way it did with those involved in the pork barrel scam.”

“Abad skirted the legal process in moving funds and exercised the power of appropriation exclusively reserved to Congress,” he said.

Other congressmen, on the other hand, supported Aquino’s decision to reject Abad’s resignation.

Calibrated move

Meanwhile, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are furious and are calling for the immediate resignation of Aquino over his reaction to his budget chief’s resignation.

“Abad’s resignation is clearly just another calibrated hypocritical move by the Palace for damage control. It is also a clear message to the Filipino public that Aquino will continue to protect his ‘kamag-anak, kakampi, kabarilan (relative, ally, shooting buddy)’ despite and in spite of the people’s clamor,” Garry Martinez, Migrante International chair, said in a statement.

He condemned the attempt of Malacañang to divert attention and accountability for the DAP by pointing fingers at its most vocal critics.

He said Filipinos worldwide are now gearing up for protests in time for Aquino’s State of the Nation Address.

‘Make it irrevocable’

The militant Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) said Abad’s offer to resign was meant to ease the people’s anger and protest over the DAP.

“Abad’s resignation and President Aquino’s rejection of his resignation reads like a drama from a bad script,” KMU said, noting that Abad could have tendered an irrevocable resignation if he really wanted to quit.

Running priest Fr. Robert Reyes also advised Abad, his former classmate at the Ateneo de Manila University, to make his resignation final.

“I read about your resignation, Butch, and I also read that P-Noy refused to accept it. Do yourself and your people a big favor. Resign irrevocably. Let go and let God,” Reyes said.

“Many of us can no longer understand how the PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) and DAP fit into P-Noy’s tuwid na daan. If cleansing is to be done then it must be total and thorough. If PDAF goes, then DAP should go as well,” he added.

He said if Abad is innocent, he has nothing to fear.

“Go to jail if you must and let the truth and nothing less set you free. I pray for you and all of my friends in government. This is a difficult and awkward time. But if we must trust anyone, it must only be the Lord who preserves us from greed, arrogance and ambition,” Reyes said.

He said he still believes that Abad is ready to give his all to God and country, citing his various government posts from the administration of the late President Corazon Aquino to the present.

“I am sure that you have seen how government works and does not work due to the quality of leadership. You tried working with former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo but when her compromises and excesses began to undermine your values, you left her and once more began fighting for change,” Reyes said. - With Jess Diaz, Jose Rodel Clapano, Mayen Jaymalin, Evelyn Macairan