Malacañang: Self-serving, uncorroborated statements

The bombshell was a dud, as far as Malacañang is concerned.

Palace officials played down yesterday the accusations aired by Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson, saying it was "nothing short of a political circus" and an apparent "partisan exercise which featured self-serving and uncorroborated statements."

In a press briefing at the Palace, Press Secretary Ricardo Puno Jr. said Singson’s bombshell was a "dud" that was "long in rhetoric but very, very woefully short of evidence."

At the same time, Puno claimed that Singson’s charges were mere "squid tactics" to cover up the governor’s alleged misuse of public funds amounting to P2 billion, the bulk of which came from the tobacco levy funds.

Puno said Mr. Estrada, however, would let Singson respond first to the report by the Commission on Audit (COA) before taking any administrative action.

Puno said the COA report cited 11 irregularities committed by Singson from 1998 to the present.

Asked why Malacañang raised the issue only now, Puno said the COA report was submitted to the Palace recently.

Puno said unlike Singson’s hysterical revelations, the Palace will present in a "sober fashion" to the public the truth and facts of the case.

He said Singson’s accusations did not do any harm to the credibility of President Estrada.

Puno urged the people not to jump to conclusions over the allegations made by the governor, who himself admitted having allowed jueteng operations in his province.

Singson’s accusations, Puno said, should pass the scrutiny of constitutional processes that require fair hearing of the charges through impeachment proceedings.

"The law and the Constitution provide for the means by which Governor Singson can prove his allegations. We will utilize those means. The President is the one being charged here," Puno said.

He said Mr. Estrada has gone through similar trials in the past and managed to overcome them.

He dismissed as unacceptable evidence a taped telephone conversation between Singson and Yolanda Ricaforte, who is said to be an accountant of Mr. Estrada.

Puno asserted that Mr. Estrada was merely being dragged into the squabble between Singson and presidential friend Charlie "Atong" Ang over jueteng operations in northern Luzon.

He said Malacañang will wait for the other documents Singson vowed to submit to Congress to substantiate his accusations against the President.

Among the alleged irregularities involving Singson were the "defective" award of contract for the P360-million construction of 34 tobacco flue-curing barns, the P170-million unliquidated cash advances of the governor, and overpriced construction of a P170-million food processing plant in Ilocos Sur.

The COA also questioned Singson’s use of P17.6 million for the Multi-line food processing plan which stopped operating last year, the P9.8-million livelihood assistance to the Philippine Industrial Livelihood Organization with "no verifiable existing projects," use of P4.5 million in calamity funds supposedly spent in 1998 for rice and canned goods, the P2.2 million purchase worth of water jugs for tobacco farmers without public bidding and no verifiable recipients, and P76.7 million in allowances with questionable transactions.

In another development, the United States government sought a meeting with top opposition leaders in the Philippines following calls for the impeachment of Mr. Estrada.

A highly reliable source from the opposition bloc in the House of Representatives said Washington has expressed concern over the current political situation in the Philippines, prompting it to propose a meeting with the political opposition leaders.

The source said US Embassy officials wanted to meet with Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, but were told that she is currently on a 10-day official trip to South Africa, Turkey and Portugal.