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The word war between the Aquino administration and Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casio reached Round Two Wednesday, when presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda accused leftist groups of resorting to propaganda to further their cause. The verbal tussle started Tuesday when President Benigno Aquino III, in a radio interview in New Zealand, dismissed the allegedly rampant human rights violations under his administration by pointing out the lackluster survey ratings of a senatorial candidate being fielded by the leftist community in next years elections. Casio, who felt alluded to, responded by saying Aquino won the presidency only because of the fact that hes the son of slain Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. and the late President Corazon Aquino. Aquino ran and won following his mothers death in 2009. At a press briefing in Malacaang on Wednesday, Lacierda said Casio should not take Aquinos statement personally. With due respect to Congressman Casio, dont take it personally. Read the context of the President, he was saying that the left has massive propaganda, Lacierda said. Its not personal. Its the propaganda thats the problem. So its not about his parents, Congressman Casio, its about your propaganda.

Lacierda added that if the leftist communitys propaganda were effective, Casio would have performed well in surveys. That he hasnt, was proof that the public do not listen to him, he said. Casio, meanwhile, took to social media in responding to Lacierda, saying Lacierda and Aquinos statements smack of insensitivity. My reply to Sec. Lacierda: Its nothing personal? Don't worry about me, I can shrug off [the] President's insults anytime, but to dismiss [the] plight of human rights victims and their families as mere propaganda IS personal, painful & dangerous, Casio said on Twitter. Casio reminded Aquino about his familys sufferings during the Marcos regime. How insensitive of the President. Para namang hindi siya at kanyang pamilya naging biktima nung panahon ng martial law. It may be hard for [the] President to admit that [the] abuses continue but please don't dismiss them as mere Leftist propaganda, he said. Mahiya ka naman sa nanay ni Jonas Burgos, sa mga anak ni Gerry Ortega, sa pamilya ng mga pinatay ng riding in tandem at marami pang biktima ng human rights violations na hindi nabibigyan ng hustisya. The President should be made to understand this or else [the] impunity will continue, Casio added, invoking the names of famous human right abuse victims, whose causes have been championed by militant groups like Bayan Muna. Patricia Denise Chiu/KBK, GMA News

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Palace 'word war' with Teddy Casiño rages on