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Nearly half a billion pesos had been spent by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the construction of roads, drainage canals and municipal buildings in her home district in Pampanga just 12 months before she runs as its representative in the House in May.
This was disclosed on Wednesday by Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, who said the P459 million lavished in Pampanga’s second district was nine times the allocation granted to each of the members of the House for their annual infrastructure projects.
Hontiveros said she was using this expenditure as the basis for the disqualification case she had filed at the Commission on Elections against Ms Arroyo. The first hearing on the case is expected to be held today.
“That’s the most compelling reason why she should be disqualified from running,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
With Ms Arroyo as the highest official of the land, “virtually no one, not a sitting legislator and especially not an ordinary civilian like Mr. Adonis Simpao [who is seeking the same congressional post], can compete with the resources that she has at her disposal,” the lawmaker said, adding:
“She went through a building frenzy, as if creating her own road to Congress, and perhaps, to the prime minister position that she obviously covets.”

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100107-245947/Comelec-office-ransacked

Don’t expect Malacanang to issue any indignant denial about the funds spent.

Pres. Arroyo has fully mastered the art of electoral politics that her concentration of presidential largesse on the second congressional district of Pampanga assures she’ll continue to ride on the crest of political power well beyond noon of June 30, 2010.

6 out of 10 Filipinos may no longer like her but that’s of no moment.

It’s public money that’s been used to lay the basis for her transition from Malacanang to Congress and anyone else in her position would do the same.

So, akin to surfing, she’s ridden on perhaps the final crest of her hold on the public coffers to curry favor with her province  mates.

A popular broadcast journalist yesterday even joked that Pres. Arroyo may even order the relocation of Mount Pinatubo to ensure her electoral victory!

Such is the nature of realpolitik, particularly in the Philippines..

As for Mrs. Arroyo being disqualified for ‘misusing’ public money, her sycophants are probably sneering at as us and saying “not on your life!”

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