Palace scores critics for 'desecrating' Cory's legacy

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang hit yesterday the opposition for “desecrating” the memory and legacy of the late President Corazon Aquino by turning the nation’s grief against the administration.

Meanwhile, President Arroyo cited Mrs. Aquino for her role in agrarian reform. Mrs. Arroyo voiced her tribute to Mrs. Aquino in Plaridel, Bulacan before signing the law extending the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) for another five years.

She said extending CARP was her administration’s way of showing “our solidarity with the late former President Corazon Aquino in our dream of liberating our farmer-beneficiaries from the claws of poverty.”

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde pointed out that Mrs. Arroyo cut short her trip to the US, declared a 10-day period of mourning, and set the day of Mrs. Aquino’s burial a holiday to allow the public to participate in the funeral rites.

Mrs. Arroyo also held Masses and led novenas for the late leader.

“The President did all these without fanfare and politics,” Remonde told reporters in Bulacan after the signing of the CARP extension law.

“So who is the one truly respecting President Cory, is it the President who did the right thing or the politicians who want to ride on the death of President Cory?” he said.

He said Mrs. Aquino united the nation “against tyranny and dictatorship and the best legacy is to unite all leaders and people to prepare for honest, orderly elections and best of all, by her example and her late husband (Benigno Aquino Jr.) to guide people to vote into office the right people with integrity.”

“I think the people who use the death of Tita Cory to destabilize, to bring down the government are not doing the memory of Tita Cory honor and doing a great disservice to the country and the people,” Remonde said.

Remonde and Presidential Economic Spokesman Gary Olivar also welcomed the possibility that Kris Aquino would enter politics while Sen. Benigno Aquino III would continue to be in government.

“The Aquino children are clearly worthy successors to their parents and deserve to join the new leaders of their generation as examples of their parents values of self-sacrifice and love of God and country,” Olivar said.

Remonde said it could not be avoided that Mrs. Aquino’s children would continue her advocacy.

“I myself believe that members of the Aquino clan would have to uphold the legacy their parents and the Filipino people will vote them into higher office and if they accept challenge. We don’t see anything wrong with that,” he said.

True honor

Meanwhile, United Opposition president and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay said only by resigning would Mrs. Arroyo truly honor the late president.

“If Mrs. Arroyo is really sincere in honoring the memory of President Cory Aquino, then she should heed the call made by Cory in 2005 and step down from power,” Binay said.

Binay said the ambition of Mrs. Arroyo to be “prime minister for life” ended on the day Aquino was laid to rest by hundreds of thousands of Filipinos last Wednesday. – With Jose Rodel Clapano