A militant group on Thursday claimed that President Benigno Aquino III鈥檚 government is threatening Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries with a P500 deduction in their stipend should they fail to show up in the 鈥渦nity walk鈥� in support of Liberal Party (LP) bets Manuel 鈥淢ar鈥� Roxas II and Camarines Sur Representative Ma. Leonor 鈥淟eni鈥� Robredo on Friday, April 15 at Luneta Park.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said that they have received reports that the beneficiaries of the government鈥檚 dole-out program based in Manila are required to attend the said LP event.
鈥淲e have received information that CCT (conditional cash transfer)-4P鈥檚 members in Manila are being required to attend a 鈥榰nity walk鈥� for Mar Roxas in Luneta tomorrow under the guise of the monthly Family Development Session of the 4P鈥檚. The 4Ps members are being threatened with a P500 deduction from their monthly support should they fail to attend,鈥� Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr. said in a statement.
Reyes hit the ruling party for supposedly using public funds for its campaign.
鈥淭his is a shameless use of public funds for a partisan political activity. It is illegal and immoral at the same time.鈥�
鈥淭he CCT funds are not the campaign funds of the LP. They should not be used to promote the candidacy of individuals,鈥� he said.
Reyes urged the public to be vigilant in monitoring supposedly partisan political activity in the guise of an official government program.
Sought for comment, Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid spokesperson and Akbayan Party-list Representative Ibarra Gutierrez III denied the allegations.
Gutierrez also slammed Bayan for spewing false information against the administration.
鈥淐ompletely false. This 鈥榤ilitant group鈥� Bayan is supporting the (Grace) Poe-(Francis) Escudero campaign. They have long been attempting to throw mud [at] the government and the Mar-Leni team to further the political agenda of their chosen candidates,鈥� Gutierrez said in a text message sent to 黑料社. RAM
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