I WRITE in replay to Neal H. Cruz?s column titled ?Villar?s C-5 Extension vs Noynoy?s SCTEx.? (Inquirer, 1/27/10) In that column, Cruz curiously repeated a number of allegations hurled at Sen. Benigno ?Noynoy? Aquino III by Crispin Remulla.
There are just three points I would like to make. First, the P83 million paid by the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) to Hacienda Luisita Inc. was compensation for the road right of way and not for the construction of the interchange. The purchase of the land was in accordance with the government?s original plan for SCTEx, and did not require any diversion whatsoever. In the C-5 controversy, the original plan was abandoned to give way to the road re-alignment which traversed a number of Sen. Manny Villar?s properties.
Second, Aquino did not participate in any meeting relating to the project; neither did he lobby for it in any forum. Aquino certainly did not use his influence as a legislator to push for the project. This is in stark contrast to the case of Villar who even used funds from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to pay for the road right of way purchased from his own companies.
Lastly, unlike Villar?s controlling interests in the companies that benefited from the C-5 irregularity, Aquino?s interest in HLI is limited to less than 1 percent of the entire shareholdings.
The issue is not about Aquino, but he has been maliciously dragged into the fray by Villar?s allies in their desperate effort to turn a straightforward government transaction into an empty controversy, perhaps to divert attention from their candidate?s improper refusal to defend himself in the Senate.
?EDWIN LACIERDA,
spokesperson,
Presidential Campaign
of Benigno S. Aquino III,
lacierda@gmail.com