LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Benguet Caretaker Congressman and Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-list Rep. Eric Yap lashed out at presidential aspirant Manny Pacquiao for allegedly hurling unverified and unvalidated allegations that were clearly made to malign his reputation and character in the province where he was made an adopted son of Benguet.
In his visit to the province, Pacquiao’s narrative on the alleged controversial multi-billion rock netting projects implemented by the public works department in various road sections were obviously fed to him by his political rivals who are mouthing the same.
The lawmaker accused Pacquiao of carelessly using the evidently scripted information that was fed to him on the said rock netting projects to criticize the implementation of the said works which were undertaken by the public works department.
“I will not comment on his ability to discern the truth from lies, but I take offense to his statements which are clearly made for his political gains and that of my rivals in the province. Please do not use me as one of your publicity stunts,” Congressman Yap stressed.
The Benguet caretaker congressman pointed out that the aforesaid issue had been time and again repeated over the past several months.
“May bumulong siguro sa kanya na si Congressman Yap po ang may kasalanan diyan and he stuck with that. Sabi niya meron daw P9 billion worth of projects na sinasabing fully implemented na at ang alam niya, 25 percent completed pa lang? Is that a question I should answer? Ako ba ang nagsabi na fully completed ang projects? Shouldn’t it be the responsibility of the implementing agency?” Yap exclaimed.
He urged Senator Pacquiao to be extra careful on his statements, especially the ones being simply fed to him by those who want to use him to advance their own political and personal interests at the expense of other individuals during this political season.
“Do not be a tool for the political interests of my opponents, you should know when a person is being used as a weapon by some people with selfish interests. But clearly, out of all these, it is evident, it is the election season once again and it is the time to spread much lies against people for some quarters to be able to advance their own political and personal interests,” Yap stated.
Pacquiao allegedly met with some leaders of the newly organized One Benguet Alliance in one of the high-end hotels in nearby Baguio city prior to a media briefing where he was quoted as saying that he will initiate a Senate inquiry on the implementation of the multi-billion rock netting projects in Benguet where only 25 percent was allegedly completed based on the facts that was fed to him by self-styled politicians.
Yap was appointed as the province’s legislative caretaker on January 20, 2020 following the untimely demise of the late Rep. Nestor B. Fongwan, Sr. who succumbed to a lingering illness on December 18, 2019. By HENT
