Palace: Snubbing SONA won’t make Arroyo 'unaccountable'

Snubbing her successor’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA) will not take away former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s accountability for the alleged irregularities committed during her nine-year term, Malacañang said.

Presidential Communications Group official Herminio Coloma said Monday that Arroyo, now a congresswoman from Pampanga, will subject herself to “judgment" by her constituents if she snubs the SONA of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III.

“Siya ay kinatawan ng kanyang distrito sa Pampanga. Tungkulin niya maging present sa SONA. Pero kung inaakala niyang may mas mahalagang dapat niyang pagtuunan ng pansin tulad ng kalusugan ng kanyang kabiyak bayaan natin ang kanyang constituents na magbigay ng pasya kung tama nga o hindi tama ang ginawa ng kanilang kinatawan (She represents the people of Pampanga. It is her duty to be present at the SONA. But if she believes being with her husband is more important, we leave it to her constituents to judge her)," Coloma said in an interview on dzXL radio Monday.

“Kahit siya ay wala roon, hindi naman mabubura ang realidad na ilalahad ng ating Pangulo sa anomalyang naganap sa kanyang administrasyon. Saan siya naroroon naroon ang realidad at di ito maiwasan o matakasan (Even if she does not attend the SONA, the irregularities attributed to her administration will not be erased. Wherever she is when President Aquino delivers his SONA, the reality is there and she cannot escape it)," he added.

Aquino, who will deliver his SONA before the 15th Congress later in the day, promised to bare “shocking" details of alleged irregularities committed under Arroyo’s administration. Aquino is also set to create a Truth Commission to look into these alleged crimes.

On Sunday, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Aquino may spend some one-third of his SONA detailing the alleged irregularities committed under the Arroyo administration.

Arroyo had earlier said she will not attend the SONA to accompany her husband Jose Miguel Arroyo in Hong Kong.

Coloma also responded to calls from Arroyo’s camp to get the right facts about the budget.

“Kasama yan sa pananagutan ng bawa’t pinuno na tama ang datos at inilalahad. Di pwedeng nanghuhula lang at lahat na ilalahad ay batay sa natuklasang datos at official record (It is part of a leader’s responsibility to get his facts right. A leader cannot afford to guess. He will base his data on official figures and records)," he said.

No excuses

Meanwhile, Coloma said Aquino will not make any excuses or appeal for understanding at his SONA because the President is already working on finding solutions to the country’s problems.

“Hindi naman yan ang pangunahing layunin. Ang pangunahing layunin malaman ang katotohanan (Seeking understanding and patience is not his main objective. The main aim of his SONA is to disclose the truth)," he said.

Coloma also said Aquino does not need calls to act on the nation’s problems because he already adopted a “sense of urgency" in dealing with national problems.

“Meron naman tayong sense of urgency. Di naman iniindang ang kabigatan ng problema hinaharap ito. Di yung more time or more patience ang focus ng ating pangulo kundi malaman talaga para maging gabay sa ating aksyon maging gabay sa pagkilos ng mga lingkod bayan natin para di dapat dumaan sa landas ng katiwalian (We are working with a sense of urgency. We do not take the nation’s problems lightly. He will not ask for more time or more patience. He just wants his SONA to lay the groundwork for actions by concerned government officials so they can be guided and avoid the path of corruption)," he said.

Source: GmaNews