ABS-CBN, GMA-7 pull out Binay ads vs Mar

MANILA, Philippines - The Liberal Party (LP) said yesterday that television networks ABS-CBN Channel 2 and GMA Channel 7 have pulled out the advertisements of Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay for being deceptive and violative of the Fair Election Act.

LP standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III also assailed Binay for coming out with deceitful ads against his running mate Sen. Manuel Roxas II and asked the networks to stop the infomercials showing an Aquino and Binay or the so-called “Noy-Bi” tandem because they were also misleading.

Aquino, Roxas and LP campaign manager Florencio “Butch” Abad said the networks were able to prove that the video and photograph of Roxas with President Arroyo was doctored to make it appear he was clapping while the Chief Executive was signing the expanded value added tax (EVAT) law.

Roxas emphasized that he was not the author of EVAT and that the people could not trust those who resorted to lying.

His camp even showed clippings of newspaper articles with accompanying photos to prove that the Cheaper Medicine Law was the one being signed by Mrs. Arroyo and not the EVAT.

But Binay dared Roxas to allow the TV networks to air the advertisement.

“Tell the TV networks to show the palakpak (clapping) ad and let the people decide if it is truthful. Everything in the image is factual. We said he (Roxas) clapped. We said he is an ally of Mrs. Arroyo in EVAT. That is true. We never said the photo was taken during the signing of the EVAT law,” Binay said. – Jose Rodel Clapano