Alejano hits Gordon over ‘malicious’ statements vs. Magdalo

Party-list Representative Gary Alejano on Friday called out Senator Richard Gordon for insinuating that the Magdalo group, whose former members include Bureau of Customs (BOC) officials alleged of corruption, might be raising funds for another ouster plot.

In a statement, Alejano said it was “unnecessary, inappropriate, malicious, and unfair” for Gordon to even mention Magdalo during the senator’s interpellation to the privilege speech of Senator Panfilo Lacson revealing the supposed corruption at the BOC.

During the said interpellation, Gordon advised President Rodrigo Duterte against appointing military men in government posts.

“The wisdom of putting in military, especially a group of Magdalo that has set at least two coup d’etat in our country, is that wise?” Gordon asked.

Gordon further said that military men in government “could be raising money for a political party like Magdalo.”

“First of all, it’s not every day that they could be raising money for a political party like Magdalo. Is there any danger that they could be raising money to buy arms for another coup? I mean the imagination can go wild and with all this, o it goes in the judgment of the President,” Gordon said.

Former Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon, resigned Import Assessment Service (IAS) Director Milo Maestrecampo, and Deputy Commissioner Gerardo Gambala, were named by Lacson as among BOC officials allegedly receiving bribe money.

The three are former members of the Magdalo, who staged unsuccessful coup attempts against the Arroyo administration; one was the Oakwood Mutiny in 2003, and the other was the Manila Peninsula Siege in 2007.

Alejano said Faeldon was removed from the group in 2005 when he escaped prison, while both Maestrecampo and Gambala parted ways with Magdalo when they pleaded guilty during trial in 2008.

“Alam ba ni Senator Gordon kung bakit nagprotesta sa gobyerno ang grupong Magdalo? Baka abala siya noong panahon na iyon sa kakadepensa sa administrasyon ni GMA [former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo] bilang Secretary of Tourism,” Alejano said.

Alejano said Gordon should also be called out for “looking down” at the military and the graduates of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).

“Senator Gordon should refrain from generalizing and painting a negative image of our military. Hindi mo dapat minamaliit ang kakayanan ng mga sundalo o dating mga sundalo,” Alejano said.

During his interpellation, Gordon also pointed out how Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, also a member of the Magdalo, “exculpated” both Maestrecampo and Gambala, while “bearing down” on Faeldon. “I found that weird and unusual,” Gordon said.

Trillanes earlier said Faeldon was at the “heart” of the controversial P6.4-billion shabu shipment smuggled from China. The senator also vouched for Maestrecampo and Gambala. — MDM, GMA News