Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda confirmed on Thursday that President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III has purchased a third-hand 2007 Porsche, but emphasized that the president used his personal funds for the purchase.
"It's a private purchase, it came from his own funds. The pruchase were proceeds from the sale of another asset and that other asset was acquired through personal loans," Lacierda said at a press briefing in Malacañang.
He said he could not confirm whether it was Aquino's BMW, which he bought back when he was a senator, that was sold for P4.5 million so he could purchase the Porsche, as reported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
The Palace spokesman noted that the value of the Porsche was depreciated. "If it was not depreciated, the president wouldn't even buy it, wouldn't even consider it."
Last month, Aquino issued a memorandum prohibiting all agencies from acquiring and using luxury vehicles for their operations, "and to be more prudent in spending government funds, especially in the acquisition of motor vehicles to maximize the utilization of scarce government resources."
At the news briefing, Lacierda said Aquino did not violate the memorandum, as the president used his own funds for the purchase of the Porsche.
"How the president spends his personal funds is entirely his own discretion and I think that should not be used to sow intrigue. If there's anybody planning to do that, let's respect the president's private transactions," Lacierda said.
Lacierda said Aquino had been"prudent" in spending government money, particularly during his foreign travels as chief executive.
"He's subject to scrutiny as a public official, I will grant you that. [But] what he does, again, privately is entirely his own discretion and I think we should allow him some private space," he said.
0 comments:
Post a Comment