Remulla to Noynoy: Presidency not family heirloom
January 11, 2010 1:15 am
By Jelly F. Musico
MANILA, Jan. 10 — Nacionalista Party senatorial candidate Gilbert Remulla blasted on Sunday Liberal Party standard-bearer Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III for belittling the results of the latest survey that showed his closest rival in the presidential race, Senator Manny Villar, gaining a huge increase in ratings.
“Noynoy’s refusal to accept the results of a scientific survey by a reputable polling firm, which showed his once-formidable lead over his closest rival trimmed to near single digit reveals a mindset which treats the presidency as something of a birthright,” Remulla said.
“He probably thinks that he has a mandate from heaven to rule that he finds it hard to accept the fact that a former fish vendor from Tondo is credibly challenging him,” he added.
At a presidential forum sponsored by GMA Network’s Radio DZBB held in Ayala Alabang, Aquino said “there are surveys that can be bought in Quiapo,” in response to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showing him to be leading by 11 percent over Villar, down by 8 percent from the last survey of the firm.
“When you treat the presidency as a family heirloom that you can inherit on a silver platter, then you get unnerved when you read the newsflash that your being president is far from being a done deal,” Remulla said.
“This is the reason he lost his composure during last Saturday’s GMA-7 sponsored presidential candidates’ forum in Ayala Alabang, when he hinted with sarcasm that the outcome of surveys done by the independent SWS can be bought from Quiapo.”
In its December 27-29 special survey released Friday, SWS said Aquino garnered 44 percent, down from 46 percent in the December 5-10 national survey.
Villar was in second place, with 33 percent, up from 27 percent in the previous December 5-10 survey. The poling firm said the latest survey had 2,100 respondents across the country.
"You would think, who is this Indio from Tondo who would derail your dream. And for that, you would criticize the poor SWS which only job is to conduct the survey," Remulla said.
He added he was surprised when Noynoy took a swipe at SWS, “when he had met with glee the previous survey results of the same polling firm that showed him enjoying a commanding lead over his competitors.”
“Now that the same firm, using the same methodology, has come up with a survey that showed that his big lead has evaporated, he begins to question its credibility,” Remulla said.
"It shows immaturity at the very least. When you become president, you get lots of bad news everyday,” he said.
Villar welcomed the recent DZBB's presidential forum, saying "it would give the presidential candidates a chance to present to the people their agenda once get elected."
"It is important for the people to know what we, the presidential candidates, have done and what will do more for our country," Villar added. (PNA) scs/jfm
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