Peping Cojuangco: Nothing wrong with being a critic of nephew PNoy

Former Tarlac Representative and current Philippine Olympic Committee President Jose "Peping" Cojuangco Jr. said that there is nothing wrong with his being a critic of his nephew, President Benigno Aquino III.

 

"Do you think it's wrong? Because he's my relative I cannot criticize him anymore? I don't think it's wrong. I mean, like anybody else, I have the privilege of doing that," he said in an interview with GMA News TV's State of the Nation with Jessica Soho on Wednesday. 

 

Cojuanco is the brother of late President Corazon "Cory" Aquino, the President's mother. He recently asked his nephew to step down.

 

But during the interview, he clarified that the succession of leadership must also be considered. 

 

"When we ask the President to step down and tell the people about it, we should also tell the people sino ba ang papalit? Ano ba ang kapalit? 'Yung kasama ko sa EDSA 1 and EDSA 2, we know who's gonna take over," he said.    

 

When asked for his message to the President whom he rarely has the chance to speak with, Cojuangco reminded his nephew to listen to the people. 

 

"Why don't you call these critics, these people who have good ideas? You always said na ang aking boss 'yung mga tao. It's not his Cabinet, it's the people," he stressed. "Why don't you listen to them? Why don't you hear what they have to say? Maybe they're right," Cojuangco said. — Trisha Macas/ELR, GMA News