Korina did not give out checks, Agri department clarifies

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday denied accusations that broadcaster Korina Sanchez, wife of administration standard bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, gave out checks and farm equipment during the agency’s official event.

In an interview, Agriculture Undersecretary Emerson Palad said Sanchez is often invited by Secretary Proceso Alcala to speak to farmers in provinces.

Sanchez recently joined DA officials in an event held in Tagum City, where the agency distributed around P611-million worth of agriculture funds and equipment.

"Ito nga lamang ilang pagkakataon na nakasama si Ma’am Korina dahil siya ay naimbitahan lamang magsalita. Lilinawin lang natin na hindi si Ma’am ang nagi-issue o nagbibigay ng tseke or hindi rin po siya naga-identify ng beneficiaries," Palad said.

"Dumarating lamang siya para magsalita at umaalis na rin siya agad," he added.

According to the camp of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Sanchez also joined the DA in Kidapawan City in North Cotabato and Mexico town, Pampanga.

"Korina is now an accomplice in a systematic shameless act that conditions the electorate to accept dole-outs in exchange for votes," said Duterte's spokesperson, Peter Laviña.

Duterte is one of Roxas’ opponents in the 2016 presidential race.

Akbayan Rep. Ibarra Gutierrez, a spokesperson for the Liberal Party, defended Sanchez, saying she has been attending DA events as a guest speaker for the past five years.

"Ms. Sanchez-Roxas is only there as guest speaker in these events and does not physically distribute the DA subsidies given to the farmers and fishermen,” Gutierrez said.

"She has been to several of these DA events and at no time did she hand out cash or kind to any of the participants in these events. In Pampanga recently she was requested by Gov Lilia Pineda to join the recipients on stage for a celebrity photo op," he added. —Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/KBK, GMA News