Palace clueless on Llamas’ long silence, mum on 'probe'

Malacañang on Saturday remained clueless on the continued silence of presidential political adviser Ronald Llamas over a brewing scandal involving his alleged purchase of pirated video discs at a Quezon City mall this week. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said all they could get from Llamas’ staff was that he supposedly had many places to visit and meetings to attend. “Yan ang hindi ko ma-explain, hindi ko alam bakit hindi siya lumalabas in public, di pa namin nakikita si Sec. Llamas in the past few days," Valte said on government-run dzRB radio. But while Valte insisted there was no plan to let the issue die down since an investigation is underway, she also admitted she was clueless on who is handling the investigation. Llamas was mired in another controversy this week after a newspaper editor chanced on him buying pirated video discs at a mall in Quezon City. This came months after his sport-utility vehicle yielded a high-powered firearm when it figured in a road accident in Quezon City. Llamas was abroad at the time of last year’s incident. During Saturday’s interview, Valte insisted there was no plan to let Llamas lie low until the issue dies down. “Walang ganoon. Kami hindi ganoon ang aming patakaran, kung may issue sumasagot kami. Ang investigation sa incident sa pagbili ng DVD [digital versatile disc] is underway," she said. But when asked who is handling the investigation, she said, “I don’t know. I’ll ask specifically who was tasked to do the investigation.” Still, she said that if the Palace had condoned Llamas’ behavior, it would have shut up and President Benigno Aquino III would not have ordered an investigation. “But the fact remains nag-order ng investigation si Pangulong Aquino," she said. Not afraid of Akbayan Valte also insisted the Palace is not afraid of Akbayan, a militant group allied with President Aquino. Llamas is an official of Akbayan, while one of its former party-list representatives, Theresia Baraquel (Risa Hontiveros), ran for senator under Aquino’s Liberal Party in 2010 but was defeated. He is also perceived to be close to Aquino because of his being a supposed “kabaril” (buddy on the firing range). Valte said the administration already showed it can let go of appointees who lost Aquino’s trust and confidence. While she did not name names, she referred to sacked National Bureau of Investigation Director Magtanggol Gatdula, who the Palace claimed was fired due to loss of trust and confidence. “Una hindi kami natatakot kahit sinuman. Pangalawa, underway ang investigation. At hindi kami natatakot magdisiplina sa aming sarili. Nakita natin yan in recent history kahit appointee ng Pangulong Aquino pinakawalan pag nawawalan ng trust and confidence ang Pangulong Aquino sa appointee," Valte said. Valte also indicated the Palace will not call on Llamas to resign out of delicadeza. “It’s his personal call. I cannot speak for him (Llamas) when it comes to what he wants to do. It’s up to him,” she said. She also insisted Llamas’ action had no implication in the fight against piracy. — LBG, GMA News