If there is anyone who should explain about unholy alliance in Malacañang, it is Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III since he has close relatives in the Arroyo administration, Iloilo Vice Governor Rolex Suplico said.

Suplico made the challenge as the Nacionalista Party (NP) has branded as an “act of desperation” the allegations of Aquino III that NP standard-bearer Sen. Manny Villar has formed an “unholy alliance” with Malacañang.

“Sen. Noynoy Aquino and the Liberal Party (LP) should be the ones to explain their closeness with Malacañang. He has close relatives in the Arroyo administration. If there is any candidate who should be suspected of being in cahoots with Malacañang, it should be Senator Aquino,” Suplico stressed.

The NP stalwart said some of Aquino’s relatives who are close to President Arroyo include his aunts, former Sen. Tessie Aquino-Oreta, who is head of the Early Childhood Care and Development Council under the Office of the President, former Gov. Margarita Cojuangco, president of the Public Safety College under the Department of the Interior and Local Government , and Lupita Aquino-Kashiwahara, President Arroyo’s image consultant.

Suplico also said Paul Aquino, who is now the chief political officer in Aquino III’s campaign, is the chief executive officer of Energy Development Corp. under the state firm Philippine National Oil Co. The present Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Eleazar Quinto is married to Kashiwahara’s daughter.

“So tell me, who has an unholy alliance with whom?” the vice-governor said.

“These people are not distant relatives, these are people who are very close to Noynoy. Senator Oreta’s husband is said to be practically Noynoy’s surrogate father. Paul Aquino is Noynoy’s political strategist,” Suplico added.

Suplico said political realities contradict Aquino III’s agenda of change. “Sila-sila din ‘yan. Mahirap sabihin na may magbabago dyan kung sila Noynoy ang uupo. I think the electorate should think long and hard about how Noynoy Aquino will deal with his relatives,” Suplico said.

Suplico recalled that former President Cory Aquino encountered the same problem when the so-called Kamag-anak Inc. – the moniker given to some members of the Cojuangco-Aquino family – was implicated in some questionable deals.

“Their latest fairy tale, that the NP standard-bearer is in cahoots with Malacañang, only shows the extent of their desperation. They fabricated this lie because they have seen how Senator Aquino’s survey lead has been wiped out. And God knows how many lies they will continue to fabricate,” Suplico added.