‘Noy’s love life used to cover up Palace blunder’

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – President Aquino’s love story is   always fed to the media every time he commits a blunder.

That’s the belief of a former law professor of 29-year-old Mariness “Kim” Ledesma, the latest rumored girlfriend of Aquino.

The law professor, who declined to be identified, said it has already become a pattern that Aquino’s love life is used as cold water to douse any negative public reaction to the blunder.

“Spare Kim,” the law professor said. “She’s too young for all the trouble.” The law professor said the story of Ledesma’s involvement with Aquino came amid criticisms on his handling of the surrender of Janet Lim-Napoles.

“And now here comes another mistake of receiving Napoles in Malacañang, which earned criticisms left and right and here’s the story on Kim and Mr. Aquino,” the law professor said. Israelito Torreon, Ledesma’s other law professor and her coach in the Ateneo de Davao University debating team, told The STAR anything going on between Aquino and the girl is their private concern.

“Kim is a shy but brilliant debater,” he said. “She was my debater and she was the silent type in school but very bright.” 

Torreon said when he spotted Ledesma’s potential, he broke the rule that says only team members are allowed to join debates.

“I broke the rule, and I literally let her in because she was really so good,” he said.  

Ledesma’s Ateneo de Davao law debating team won over the Ateneo de Manila team on Aug. 12, 2000 in the ANC debate among the country’s top 16 law schools.

Ledesma, a cum laude graduate of Ateneo de Davao University law school, is the daughter of former Davao City administrator Nestor Ledesma. She is currently working at the Department of the Interior and Local Government.