Mar on planes used for campaign: I paid for them

SILAY CITY, Philippines – Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II yesterday broke his silence on issues surrounding his use of eight air assets for his campaign, saying he did not use government funds for these.

Roxas admitted he is a friend of Eric Gutierrez, the owner of the planes whose mining firm has been ordered shut down for illegal practices.

“For those asking about the aircraft, they are not for free. They are not favors. They are not free stuff. I paid for them. I can assure you that I did not steal the money I spent for them,” he told reporters after a campaign rally here.

“You asked me about my use of planes in traveling to different parts of the country. I answered the question. How about the other candidates? Perhaps they should be asked the same question,” he added.

He said Gutierrez is his friend and a winner of international and local contests because of the good management of his company.

The STAR columnist Jarius Bondoc wrote that Gutierrez has provided Roxas with eight air assets for his campaign sorties.

Bondoc said Roxas and other candidates of the administration coalition are using a Citation Mustang worth $2.5 million; a Citation CJ4 worth $9 million; a Cessna Sovereign worth $19 million; four Cessna Caravans, each worth $2.5 million, and a Bell 429 helicopter worth $6.5 million.

He said Gutierrez is part owner of SR Metals Inc. and its subsidiaries San R Mining and Galeo Equipment and Mining Corp. He said LP spokesman and Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice is a partner of Gutierrez in the mining companies, which have been involved in legal issues.

The three mining companies allegedly shipped out 1.8 million tons of ore worth P28 billion from Agusan to China.

Bondoc said the firms were only fined P7 million for the shipment. He said the environment department ordered the closure of the three firms in 2007, but this was not implemented by local executives supposedly due to the influence of the mining operators.

He said at least two of the eight air assets provided to Roxas were exempted from paying 12 percent value-added tax (VAT).

Based on data cited by Bondoc, the government reportedly lost more than P18 million in revenues because of the exemption.

Erice said there is nothing irregular in the tax exemption.

“All planes used commercially are VAT-exempt but pay custom duties,” Erice said in a text message.

Roxas woos Negrenses

Roxas wooed voters in Negros Occidental, his mother’s home province amid the recent dip in his survey score and questions about his campaign practices.

Thousands, mostly wearing yellow shirts, welcomed Roxas and the other candidates of the Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid in sorties held in the cities of Bacolod, Talisay, Silay and Bago. 

The province has about 1.6 million registered voters and is considered a bailiwick of the administration coalition.

Roxas’ mother and Bago native Judy Araneta-Roxas is expected to actively promote the candidacy of her son and other members of his ticket.

“The reception we received here in Negros was as sweet as sugar,” Roxas said, alluding to the province’s main produce.

Roxas, who has been accused of being an elitist and a snob, acted like a game show host in Silay, hugging elderly women, cracking jokes in the native dialect and bringing them to senatorial candidates who were more than willing to embrace them.

He vowed to sustain the gains of the Aquino administration, which he claimed has done a lot to promote development in the countryside.

Roxas was serious when journalists asked about issues being thrown against him and his poor showing in surveys. 

He said the most important survey is the May 9 elections.

Roxas ranked fourth in the Social Weather Stations survey conducted this month with 18 percent, down from 21 percent last month.

 Vice President Jejomar Binay topped the survey with 29 percent while Sen. Grace Poe and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte were tied with 24 percent.

Journalists pressed him about the P66.04-million accounts payable in his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth. He declined to provide specifics.

Roxas has repeatedly said that he would not use gimmicks or drama in his campaign and that he would bank on his clean public service record.

Expert in corruption             

Malacañang yesterday branded Binay as an “expert in corruption” and a joker when talking about good governance, as it reiterated its call for him to answer the allegations against him and produce his missing aides.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda made the statement after the Binay camp accused the administration and Roxas of bribing local officials through the bottom-up budgeting (BUB) program.

“I suppose that is how he intends to govern, to be bribed and to bribe. When he talked about the freedom of information (FOI) bill, nobody believed him because he could not even produce his own private secretary and financial adviser,” Lacierda said.

“Walk the talk. Maybe he really walks the talk because he loves to talk about bribing,” he added.

Lacierda was apparently referring to Binay’s alleged bagmen and dummies, Eduviges Baloloy and Gerardo Limlingan.  – With Jess Diaz, Aurea Calica, Paolo Romero