PNoy admits rift in administration senatorial slate

Despite earlier pronouncements from his spokespersons that the administration slate is "solid," President Benigno Aquino III admitted on Thursday to an ongoing rift among some members of the Palace-backed senatorial ticket. Asked if he tried to mend the reported rift between re-electionist Senators Loren Legarda and Alan Peter Cayetano, Aquino said he has already reminded administration candidates "to set aside their personal interests for the sake of our people." "Tuluy-tuloy pa 'yung dayalogo natin para huminto na rin 'yung bangayan. Pinaalala rin natin na patapos na itong eleksyon," Aquino said on the sidelines of the administration sortie in Quezon City on Thursday morning." The President likewise said that he has personally spoken to Legarda regarding the supposed rift. He added that he has tasked Interior and Local Government chief Manuel "Mar" Roxas II to speak to Cayetano regarding the matter. "I think all the candidates have responded to our appeals. They are conscious na itong pinaglalaban natin para sa tao, hindi para sa indibidwal," Aquino said. Loren's NY condo issue Last week, Legarda said "some fellow candidates" may be behind accusations that she failed to publicly declare a condominium unit in New York worth $700,000. The senator's statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) did not categorically state that she owned this property, instead referring to "other investment," without the specifics required by the Civil Service Commission.  In response to the accusation, Legarda's office said the condominium unit "was properly declared in all the SALNs of Senator Legarda as co-owned with her father and brothers." On Monday, Aquino came out with a statement supporting Legarda amid these accusations, attesting to the senator's "long and credible record of advocacy."  Last year, Legarda was one of the senators who voted to convict former Chief Justice Renato Corona for failure to declare certain assets in his SALNs. President Aquino's allies at the House of Representatives spearheaded Corona's impeachment case. — LBG, GMA News