Palace defends Aquino’s two-hour speech

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. (Photo by Robert Viñas/Rodolfo Manabat/Malacanang Photo Bureau)

MANILA — Defending President Aquino’s two-hour State of the Nation Address, Malacanang yesterday said that the Filipino people deserved a comprehensive report.

In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said that it was only rightful for the President to present the administration’s long list of accomplishments.

He also defended Aquino’s reference to anomalies and scandals during the past administration.

Coloma said that Aquino was only pointing the challenge of starting from negative when he took over.

In his speech, Aquino said he was aware of calls for him and the administration to move on but added that “we can only move on once justice has been attained.”

Aquino also said that he feared that the people would grow impatient waiting for the remaining problems to be solved.

Coloma, meanwhile, pledged that the government will continue addressing the country’s problems until  the very last day of Aquino’s term.