Noy desperate to avoid prosecution, says lawmaker

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino’s repeated mentioning of the possibility of him seeking a second term was not surprising as he is “desperate to evade prosecution,” an opposition lawmaker said yesterday.

Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon was referring to Aquino’s latest statement to the media that he “might do even better in a second term.”

“What ‘better’ are you talking about Mr. President? Under your term, the gap between the rich and the poor has widened, more and more Filipinos have been mired in poverty and joblessness, and the prices of basic commodities are at record high. Corruption and criminality are also on the rise. When you talk about doing better, do you mean to say that you want more years in office just to continue exacerbating the dire situation of our countrymen?” he said.

The lawmaker said Aquino and members of his Cabinet are liable for plunder and technical malversation for the P144-billion Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), parts of which were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

He said Aquino and his Cabinet members are becoming desperate as they know they have “committed criminal acts through the assailed DAP.”

“They want to evade prosecution, and that’s why they’re pushing for a second term for the President even if it involves Charter change,” he said.

He said he and other lawmakers in the minority bloc will exert all efforts to block attempts to amend the political provisions of the Constitution to extend Aquino’s term.

He warned that some of the leaders of the Liberal Party in the House of Representatives remain determined to push for political Charter change despite public statements to the contrary.

“Aquino’s delirious desire for term extension through Charter change exposes him as a megalomaniac and budding dictator. The Filipino people should stop this power-hungry President from tinkering with the Constitution just to extend his reign and evade prosecution,” Ridon said.