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Early campaigning? Aquino allies say they were just helping out
When President Benigno Aquino III went to Muntinlupa City on Wednesday for relief operations, he was with four prospective Liberal Party (LP) senatorial candidates for the 2013 polls. Three of them were incumbent government officials: Bureau of Customs Commissioner Rufino Biazon, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Joel Villanueva and Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara. The fourth, former Akbayan party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, does not hold any position in government, but is currently the party-list group's spokesperson. Aquino, who chairs the ruling LP, also went to flood-stricken areas with celebrity sister Kris Aquino to distribute relief goods. The scene caused some Filipinos online to criticize the President, saying that the relief operation was a form of “early campaigning.” “Ang kakapal. Mga trapo [traditional politician]. Ang pagtulong sa mga naghihirap nating kababayan ay bukas at taos-puso. Maaga pa para mangampanya,” Katrina Mediante Garcia said on Facebook. “Joel Villanueva and Risa Hontiveros were with PNoy during relief operations. That's early campaigning for the Senate if you ask me,” Twitter user Arvin Crisol said. Just helping out Biazon defended his move to join the President, saying he was extending help to his former constituents. He was former representative of the lone district of Muntinlupa from 2001 to 2010. “We simply cannot please everybody. As far as the recipients are concerned, they were happy that relief was delivered to them by no less than the President himself,” the Customs chief said in a text message. “As far as I’m concerned, I am happy for my kababayans,” he added. Angara, for his part, said there was nothing wrong with reaching out to flood-stricken Filipinos. “Kung makakatulong naman kami sa ating mga kababayan, why not? Hindi naman siguro masamang tumulong,” he said in a separate text message.
