Palace: GMA not to use gov’t resources in campaign

Malacañang has assured the public that no government funds and equipment will be used by President Arroyo and her team during the campaign period that started yesterday.

Press Secretary Milton Alingod, in an interview over radio station dzMM, stressed that the President is fully aware of the election laws and "will follow strictly the rules and regulations laid down by the Commission on Elections (Comelec)."

Mrs. Arroyo, her running mate Sen. Noli de Castro and the senatorial line up of the Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan sa Kinabukasan (K-4) ticket chose Laguna as the kick-off point of its campaign sortie and the first stop in its nationwide tour.

Asked about the vehicles used by the team for the campaign, Alingod said that a coaster was hired using funds sourced outside the government.

"The vehicles that we are using now such as those being used by the media were rented. We hired coasters. This is not money from the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) but from other sources," Alingod said in Filipino.

Apart from prohibitions on the use of government-owned equipment, the Comelec also prohibits the use of government funds for the campaign.

On the average, a presidential candidate is only allowed to spend P10 for each voter. With an estimated 40 million voters nationwide, the projected expense for each candidate vying for the highest position in the land is estimated to reach P400 million.

Alingod noted that there are campaign contributors who will be shouldering the expenses of the President and the other administration candidates so there should be no concern about the possible use of government funds.

"Realistically, there are campaign contributors around so that is what the President will be doing. The spending will be within bounds," Alingod said.

Opposition Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. has criticized the administration for using government funds in coming up with gimmicks for the campaign of the President.

Pimentel cited that even people working on road infrastructure projects are wearing PGMA shirts and chalecos, which Pimentel said is a campaign gimmick of the administration.

He noted that only the campaign team and candidates should wear t-shirts and uniforms bearing their names.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Arroyo’s official campaign spokesman, Housing Secretary Michael Defensor, admitted yesterday that some campaign materials were posted in areas prohibited by the Comelec. However, he said that this was done without the knowledge of the candidates involved.

Defensor stressed that all of the administration candidates are aware of Comelec rules and will continue to be reminded about the proper posting of campaign materials.