Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano
Senate Majority Floor Leader Allan Peter Cayetano confirmed that his frequent visits to Cebu City were part of his groundwork for a 2016 bid for the presidency.
But he clarified that he isn’t courting the support of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama who is allied with the United Nationalist Coalition of Vice President Jejomar Binay.
“I just asked him papasukin mo lang ako sa (let me enter) Cebu City and help me work with some people like sa nasunogan na (those who lost their homes to fire in the) area. I want to be part of the development of some areas,” he told reporters in Cebu.
Asked about talk that he is courting Rama to be his vice presidential candidate, Cayetano replied “marami akong nililigawan (I’m courting a lot of leaders) to establish (political) relations.”
Cayetano was in Cebu yesterday to address the annual general meeting of a media cooperative. Last month he brought a medical mission for Lorega fire victims which included a team of doctors from Taguig City where his wife, Lani, is mayor and medicines.
He also gave out cash assistance of P500 to each affected family with a promise to help them find seed money to use for a livelihood program.
“I’m doing the ground work all over the country,” he said.
Cayetano said he was confident that come 2016, voters would also look at the performance and programs that the candidates would lay before them.
“I try to do away with the negatives. At the end of the day, performance, programa ang titingnan ng tao. Performance pa rin ang didikta (programs are what people are looking for. Performance would always dictate) on their preferences,” he said.
Cayetano denied allegations that he is among the senators listed by Napoles as involved in the pork barrel scandal.
He asked former senator Panfilo Lacson and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to publicize the report so that those in the list could also defend themselves.
“How can you defend yourself when you do not even know what the accusation is,” he said in a press conference after she addressed Cebu Newscoop members yesterday.
Cayetano said the Commission on Audit (COA) should also hasten their review of records.
If they cannot do this on their own, he said the government should hire private auditors who will help them finish their audit at the soonest possible time.