Legarda, Trillanes hit black propaganda of rivals

MANILA, Philippines - Re-electionist Senators Loren Legarda and Antonio Trillanes IV have denied they filed a bill seeking to reduce the retirement benefits of teachers, cops and soldiers.

In separate statements, Legarda and Trillanes – who are both running under administration coalition Team PNoy – said they did not file the so-called Retirement Bill or any other measures detrimental to teachers and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“To our beloved teachers, soldiers, policemen and Department of Education employees, there is no Senate bill or any other bill filed by me that would remove or reduce your benefits,” Legarda said.

Legarda was the first to announce that there was a smear campaign against her, which she said came from the camp of one of the leading candidates in the senatorial surveys.

In almost all of the senatorial surveys that came out recently, Legarda has consistently ranked number one while Trillanes has been hovering between the eighth to tenth slots.

Legarda did not disclose the nature of the alleged black propaganda against her but in a statement issued on Friday, she cited the efforts to attribute the damaging bill to her.

The office of Trillanes also denied claims that he filed a similar bill.

“For the record, Sen. Trillanes did not file the said bill or any bill of similar nature. In fact, he filed bills in the Senate which directly benefit active and retired members of both AFP and PNP,” according to the statement.

The office of Trillanes cited the Salary Standardization Law 3; the AFP Modernization law; quarters allowance increase for AFP and PNP personnel; subsistence allowance increase for the AFP and PNP; increase of combat duty pay; insurance coverage for AFP and PNP; and payment of arrears in veterans’ pensions and benefits as measures that he either authored or supported in the Senate.

“Rest assured that Sen. Trillanes remains committed in championing the cause of the AFP and PNP. Let us be vigilant against black propaganda,” the statement added.