Further clarification from presidential legislative liaison office

Thank you for publishing our rejoinder to the editorial of Ms. Villanueva last June 5, 2013. Although a difference in opinion regarding this particular issue is clearly evident, we are grateful that the spirit of democracy and fair play remains undisturbed.

However, I am constrained to once again write to you in order to clear up certain factual assertions which, in our belief, must be corrected.

First, although Ms. Villanueva is correct in saying that she did not denote any direct quotation marks to the alleged statements of Secretary Mamba, the way she presented her own conclusions could mislead the readers, as well as the lawmakers, into believing that Secretary Mamba did in fact make such a statement.

Respectfully, allow me to cite a portion of Ms. Villanueva’s column. “Mamba argued, however, the lawmakers have only themselves to blame if their pet bills were vetoed. Some of the vetoed bills reportedly contain infirmities while other simply did not meet the Aquino administration’s priority legislative agenda.”

Although no direct quotation marks were used and Ms. Villanueva already clarified that these were a taxpayer’s own intelligent conclusions, we still felt the need to point out that Secretary Mamba never uttered such a statement against our lawmakers and that by writing that Secretary Mamba “argued” along those lines, people might think that he did in fact say such things.

Another factual error that is apparent in her column which came out this June 7, 2013, was her categorical pronouncement that “another brother Antonio Mamba ran for mayor in Tuao but also lost in the May 13 election.”

For the record, the brother being referred to as “Antonio Mamba” in the article is actually Mayor Francisco N. Mamba, Jr.  He actually won in the 2013 election, together with his entire slate.

We would also put on record that the Mamba family never lost in any local poll for nine straight election years.

Their local candidates from mayor to all the councilors won in the aforesaid elections.

We do not wish to engage anyone in mudslinging or dirty politics. Being a democracy, we welcome all forms of constructive criticism that would rightfully keep us, along with all other government institutions as well, on our toes. However, when verifiable facts are clearly erroneous or when there is a possibility that the public may be misled into believing certain interpretations as truth, it is only fair that we be allowed to point out the same.

Thank you once again for your time and we welcome all forms of discourse aimed at improving public service. — VICENTE S. LUCAS, Head Executive Assistant, Presidential Legislative Liaison Office