As seen on the November 2019 issue of The Philippine Sentinel
The 50-year-old bachelor said he sold his old BMW and took out a personal loan to buy the Porsche, which he said allowed him a relaxing drive amid his gargantuan responsibilities.
“I was happy with the deal because its mileage was less than 10,000 kilometres,” Aquino said of the pre-owned vehicle, which local news reports said was a white entry-level model worth Php 4.5 million ($102,000).
Aquino’s spokesman, Edwin Lacierda, defended his boss, saying the car’s value had depreciated substantially compared with a brand-new Porsche.
Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares, however, admitted that Aquino, as an individual, can buy whatever he wants as long as he is not using public funds. “It’s his money, it’s his right. Wala akong karapatang sabihin sa kanya kung anong bibilhin niya, kung anong hindi niya bibilhin as long as it’s not public funds. It’s his money, it’s his right. So, I guess he can decide where he should spend his own money,” said Colmenares. Ω