• Palace counters Vice President Binay’s recent swipe at the administration
• Malacanang welcomes Comelec’s plan to hold presidential debates
• Strategic partnership between Philippines and Japan allow cooperation on security issues, says Palace official

The vice president appears to be putting color on the administration’s statement that the country needs three administrations adhering to good governance to make the Philippines truly progressive.

“Hindi tama o makatuwirang sabihin na si Pangulong Aquino o ang Liberal Party ay naglalatag ng paghahanda para sa diktadurya,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a radio interview on Saturday.

“Batid ng lahat na ang matuwid na daan ay batay sa mga prinsipyo ng EDSA People Power revolution na nagbigay-daan sa pagbabalik ng demokrasya sa ating bansa mula sa diktadurya at Martial Law,” he told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

Coloma said the continuation of “Daang Matuwid” depends on the decision of the Filipino people and the Aquino administration will do everything to ensure that the country’s electorate could choose a new set of leaders in an orderly and fair election next year.

“Ang proyekto ng pamahalaan ay higit pang patatagin ang mga institusyon ng demokrasya sa pamamagitan ng isang hayag at may pananagutang pamamahala (open, transparent, and accountable government),” he said.

“Ito ang marka ng isang masiglang demokrasya na pinatatatag ng mga malayang mamamayan.”

President Aquino has called on his bosses, the Filipino people, to continue supporting “Daang Matuwid,” so that the transformation of Philippine society, built on good governance during his administration, may be brought to its full fruition.

Like his parents, the President is a staunch advocate of democracy, in which the most important element is the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to another through the conduct of orderly and credible elections, Coloma noted.

Coloma also belied Binay’s allegations that President Aquino undermined the country’s judicial system and the Office of the Vice President, saying that in fact, the President helped to strengthen them.

Binay’s allegations have no basis because on the contrary the Supreme Court supported all the legislative initiatives to strengthen the judicial system, he said.

The prosecutorial arm of the government under the Department of Justice was also strengthened to improve the criminal justice system.

“Pinapalakas din po natin ang ating prison o correction system, bahagi din po ito ng sistema ng batas,” he said.

With regards to the Office of the Vice President, the President Aquino respected and supported Vice President Binay and in his five years as Cabinet member, he has not received criticism from the public.

Coloma also answered Binay’s statement on SAF 44 after he said the policemen who perished in Mamasapano were not recognized during an event in Camp Crame on Friday.

“Nais po nating ipunto na sa marami nang pagkakataon ay kinilala ni Pangulong Aquino ang kabayanihan at ang kagitingan at katapangan ng atin SAF 44,” Coloma said.

“Binigyan po sila ng kinauukulang pagkilala ng ating Pangulo noon pa po. Hindi po naghintay ng mahabang panahon para kilalanin sila.”

He added that the administration did everything to help the families of SAF 44, providing them with livelihood, scholarships, housing, and employment. PND (as)

“Mahalaga po sa isang eleksyon na malaman ng mga mamamayan ang mga isyu na dapat nilang pagpasyahan,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said in a radio interview when asked about the Comelec’s plan.

“Mahalaga rin na makilala nila ang mga kandidato at ang pagdaraos ng isang tagisan, katulad ng isang debate, ay mainam na paraan para matamo ang mga layunin na ‘yan,” he said over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan Saturday.

“Kaya hintayin po natin ang magiging programa ng Comelec. Sa atin pong palagay ay ginagawa nila ang kanilang tungkulin na maitaguyod ang mahusay na partisipasyon ng ating mga mamamayan sa isang maayos at kapani-paniwalang eleksyon.”

The Comelec said it plans to organize debates among presidential candidates in various venues around the country. Comelec last hosted a presidential debate in 1992.

The electoral body said that a resolution for holding presidential debates is already being circulated but preparations have yet to start

The debates will be done “to provide a mechanism for exacting accountability with regard to campaign promises” that candidates make, according to the Comelec. PND (as)

China accused the Philippine of conniving with Japan, especially with the planned maritime drills of he two countries in the West Philippine Sea.

“Dapat kilalanin ‘yung reyalidad na ang Pilipinas at ang Japan ay tumatayong strategic partners. Mayroon tayong kasunduan sa kanila sa larangan ng kabuhayan, sa larangan ng seguridad, at sila ay strategic partner nga po ng ating bansa,” Coloma said in a radio interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

Coloma also said that when President Aquino visited Japan last June, he and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe discussed how the current strategic partnership could be strengthened further.

Part of it is ensuring freedom of navigation and easing the tension in the South China Sea or the West Philippine Sea, he said.

“Kaya ito po ay bahagi ng ating strategic partnership na naipahayag sa iba’t ibang international forum, kabilang na ang idinaos na ASEAN Regional Forum sa Kuala Lumpur,” he added.

Asked to comment on China’s statement that it has no plans to impede freedom of navigation in the West Philippine Sea, he said China’s recent action has raised tensions in the region.

China’s reclamation activities in the contested territories are not constructive as many countries opposed such moves, he said.

The US, the European community, G7 as well as Japan do not support changing the status quo in the region as a result of China’s reclamation works.

“Mayroon pong kasing epekto ito na nagpapataas nang tensyon sa ating rehiyon,” he said adding that it is the reason the Philippines has been calling on China to halt its activities there.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario had asked China to stop its reclamation, the construction of projects, and deescalate the tension in the region.

“Komprehensibo ang aksyon at ang panawagan na ito ay umaani ng suporta dahil nakikita naman ng mga bansang naniniwala sa rule of law na ito ay makatuwiran,” Coloma said. (as)