Lakas on corruption raps: Look who’s talking

Two pro-administration congressmen accused the opposition yesterday of "dirty politics" after it came out with a full-page advertisement in newspapers on alleged corruption in the Arroyo administration.

In a statement, Deputy Speaker for the Visayas Raul Gonzalez said the opposition was desperate to resort to "black propaganda" when it was President Joseph Estrada who was ousted for corruption on Jan. 20, 2001.

"Look who’s talking," he said.

"It is they, the opposition who were ousted by a popular revolt after the people could no longer bear their sins. Former President Estrada was impeached, he is now being tried for plunder.

"In contrast, the allegations they have put in their paid advertisement were never substantiated or were debunked outright."

On the other hand, Bacolod City Rep. Monico Puentevella said the hands of the opposition are "filthy," considering that its leadership includes former top officials of the Marcos and Estrada administrations.

"The opposition is so quick to cobble together a catalogue of allegations against the administration, which they are foisting on the public via expensive full-page ads," he said.

"They neglect to mention, however, that the charges they have mentioned were either never substantiated or were later found to be out-and-out fabrications," he added.

Puentevella said the Marcos and Estrada administrations, unlike that of Mrs. Arroyo, were toppled by "popular revolts" because of their iniquities.

"Top officials of these regimes were later charged in court for graft and corruption, with former President (Ferdinand) Marcos forced into exile and former President Estrada currently detained for graft and corruption," he said.

"We should set the record straight. What makes their untruths and falsehoods doubly unkind is that the black propagandist of the opposition could not even respect Holy Week. This just goes to show how desperate and misguided some of the opposition leaders are," Puentevella said.<