Palace denies swaying public attention from rising consumer prices
Published Sep 9, 2018 07:51 pm
By Genalyn Kabiling
Malacañang has rejected allegations the government nullified Senator Antonio Trillanes IV's amnesty to divert public attention away from the rising consumer prices.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque
(YANCY LIM/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential spokesman Harry Roque insisted there was no connection between inflation and Trillanes' amnesty, adding the government was simply enforcing the law in the case of the former rebel soldier. "We don’t see kung ano iyong koneksiyon doon sa bigas kay Trillanes; itong kay Trillanes po, gumawa siya ng krimen, tatlong beses. At kung hindi niya mapapa tunayan na ligal nga iyong amnesty niya, eh kinakailangan niyang pagbayaran iyong kaniyang nagawa ," Roque said in a radio interview last Saturday. "Unfortunately, amnesty is an act of generosity of the state, kapag mayroong requirements dapat ipakita mo na nag-comply. Now, iyong pagtaas po ng bigas ibang usapin po iyan ," he added. Even as he assured the public the government was taking steps to address high consumer prices, Roque claimed that it was Trillanes who was using inflation as a "political issue." “Iyon po iyong mga kadahilanan ng pagtaas ng presyo, wala naman pong kinalaman diyan itong kay Trillanes; if at all, I will agree, I will agree na siguro kung wala iyong inflation eh we could drag it off ,” Roque said. "Pero ngayong nandiyan na iyong inflation, nagagamit tuloy ni Trillanes bilang political issue ‘no, pero wala po talagang relasyon iyang dalawang iyan ‘no. In fact, nagsimula na iyong problema sa inflation bago pa siguro lumabas itong isyu ng Trillanes ,” he added. President Duterte earlier issued Proclamation No. 572 declaring Trillanes' amnesty void ab initio since he did not file an application form and failed to admit guilt for his crimes. Some groups however suspected that the amnesty recall was the government's diversionary scheme amid the country's soaring consumer prices. Inflation in August accelerated to a nine-year high of 6.4 percent, exceeding government forecast. Roque, who earlier said there was no need to panic over the high inflation, said the government was taking measures to address the situation. Among these measures are importation of rice, fish and meat to boost supply and help bring down prices as well as the proposed passage of the rice tariffication bill. Roque has also attributed the country's inflation to high world oil prices and the trade war between the United States and China. He said the government has no control over these two external factors.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque(YANCY LIM/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential spokesman Harry Roque insisted there was no connection between inflation and Trillanes' amnesty, adding the government was simply enforcing the law in the case of the former rebel soldier. "We don’t see kung ano iyong koneksiyon doon sa bigas kay Trillanes; itong kay Trillanes po, gumawa siya ng krimen, tatlong beses. At kung hindi niya mapapa tunayan na ligal nga iyong amnesty niya, eh kinakailangan niyang pagbayaran iyong kaniyang nagawa ," Roque said in a radio interview last Saturday. "Unfortunately, amnesty is an act of generosity of the state, kapag mayroong requirements dapat ipakita mo na nag-comply. Now, iyong pagtaas po ng bigas ibang usapin po iyan ," he added. Even as he assured the public the government was taking steps to address high consumer prices, Roque claimed that it was Trillanes who was using inflation as a "political issue." “Iyon po iyong mga kadahilanan ng pagtaas ng presyo, wala naman pong kinalaman diyan itong kay Trillanes; if at all, I will agree, I will agree na siguro kung wala iyong inflation eh we could drag it off ,” Roque said. "Pero ngayong nandiyan na iyong inflation, nagagamit tuloy ni Trillanes bilang political issue ‘no, pero wala po talagang relasyon iyang dalawang iyan ‘no. In fact, nagsimula na iyong problema sa inflation bago pa siguro lumabas itong isyu ng Trillanes ,” he added. President Duterte earlier issued Proclamation No. 572 declaring Trillanes' amnesty void ab initio since he did not file an application form and failed to admit guilt for his crimes. Some groups however suspected that the amnesty recall was the government's diversionary scheme amid the country's soaring consumer prices. Inflation in August accelerated to a nine-year high of 6.4 percent, exceeding government forecast. Roque, who earlier said there was no need to panic over the high inflation, said the government was taking measures to address the situation. Among these measures are importation of rice, fish and meat to boost supply and help bring down prices as well as the proposed passage of the rice tariffication bill. Roque has also attributed the country's inflation to high world oil prices and the trade war between the United States and China. He said the government has no control over these two external factors.