PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has backtracked from his earlier statement that “lobby money” was behind the rejection of Regina Paz “Gina” Lopez’s appointment as Environment secretary. Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said Duterte “gave a gloss on” his remarks during Monday’s Cabinet meeting and clarified that he did not necessarily mean that money persuaded the congressional Commission on Appointments (CA) to block Lopez’s nomination. “He (Duterte) was saying last night that it’s not a pejorative accusation, that money was transferred or money was exchanged,” he added. Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who rejected the appointment, called it a “sweeping assault” against those who voted against Lopez. “[H]e just simply explained that] it’s not necessarily financial exchange, but that there was a lobby.

Source: Manila Times May 09, 2017 16:07 UTC