Oplans Nognog, Maligno just ‘political noise’ —Palace

"That's political noise out there." 

 

This was how Malacañang described on Monday supposed campaigns to discredit possible presidential candidates for the 2016 polls, such as "Oplan Nognog" and "Oplan Maligno."

 

At a press briefing, presidential spokesman Secretary Edwin Lacierda sought to insulate President Benigno Aquino III from these supposed campaigns.

 

"Our concern really is governance. There is that political noise out there, but to be quite frank, we are really focused on governance. The President is not engaged in anything 2016," Lacierda told reporters on Monday afternoon.

 

"'Yung ingay doon: Nag-aaway ang Oplan Nognog at Oplan Maligno. But ano naman ang relevance noon sa araw-araw na governance ng ating Pangulo?" he added.

 

Although he belittled these supposed campaigns, the President's spokesman said the Palace has no plans to ask its allies to stop contributing to this "political noise."

 

"That is matter that is up to them... Our concern again is trabaho lang," Lacierda said.

 

Over the weekend, Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice, a member of the Aquino-chaired Liberal Party (LP), floated the so-called "Oplan Maligno," which is supposedly aimed to bolster Vice President Jejomar Binay's political standing and to discredit Interior Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II.

 

Binay, who has long expressed his intention to seek the presidency in 2016, is currently facing corruption probes before the Senate and the Office of the Ombudsman.

 

Aquino has yet to name his preferred successor, but LP officials have consistently hinted about having Roxas as the ruling party's standard-bearer in the coming national polls.

 

Before "Oplan Maligno," Binay's camp also revealed the so-called "Oplan Stop Nognog in 2016," which was supposedly meant to drag down the vice president.

 

Both Binay's camp and LP lawmakers have denied involvement in these supposed smear campaigns. —KG, GMA News