Defensor’s presence at MMDA meeting hit
By Nidz Godino
“What was Mike Defensor doing in that picture of official function of Metro Manila Development Authority that was published in social media…was he an official, a consultant, an adviser, a factotum of some sort of MMDA…he was a candidate and loser in the last election, wasn’t he…what was he in that picture…the boss of MMDA?” Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile wrote on his Facebook page questioned presence of former Anakalusugan party-list Representative Michael Defensor at meeting of officials of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
Enrile warned against “carelessly showing an arrogance of power in our behavior as public persons” especially for people with close ties to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“Is that now a proper decorum in our current political world… I suggest we should be very careful in not carelessly showing an arrogance of power in our behavior as public persons, especially if we are somewhat identified with the current regime…please ladies and gentlemen be careful! The public is watching,” he stressed.
Enrile said as chief counsel of the President, he had “legal and moral duty to protect President Marcos from those who tend to take undue advantage of his kindness” and their “seeming closeness to him.”
In response, Defensor said he had spoken with Enrile to clarify his presence at the MMDA meeting.
“I explained to Manong Johnny what my participation was during that meeting…first of all, I’m not an official, I’m not a consultant and I don’t hold an office in MMDA…that is prohibited by law,” Defensor said.
“It so happened that meeting was regarding balik-eskwela…because of my experience in the past, when I was Chief of Staff, we always held the balik-eskwela program,” he added.
Defensor said there was no order from President Marcos for him to be at the MMDA meeting. He, however, said the President earlier asked that they help government in their “private ways.”
“My friend and current chairman of MMDA, Chairman Engr. Dimayuga asked me to have some inputs at the meeting… I don’t have a salary there but I will continue to help no matter what government agency may say,” Defensor said.
MMDA chairman Carlo Dimayuga said Defensor had no official function at the agency. He said he only invited the former congressman to ask for advice about the traffic problem and programs related to the reopening of classes.
The Malacañang said it had no comment on the matter.
ISKUP! 