CLARK FREEPORT – For Pres. Aquino, declaring actress Nora Aunor as National Artist was to send a “wrong message” that counters his “zero tolerance” for illegal drugs.
Amid criticisms on his dropping Aunor from the list of awardees for this year’s National Artists, Aquino said here yesterday that while he respected and admired her as an actress, he considered a “higher priority for the clear message on zero tolerance for illegal drugs.”
He was referring to the illegal drugs possession case of Aunor for which she underwent a six-month rehabilitation program in Los Angeles, California in 2007.
“Ginagalang ko siya, kinikilala ko ang kanyang trabaho at obra pero ang problema ko mas mataas ang prioridad na maliwanag na may mensahe and yung droga, zero tolerance tayo dito.
Mali all the time,” the President said at a press conference after he attended here the 67th anniversary of the Philippine Air Force. The President, however, said that even his late father, Benigno Aquino Jr., was also a fan of Aunor.
“”We all know her story from the days she used to vend in a bus station to her joining Tawag ng Tanghalan that launched her to superstardom.” he said. The President recalled that “when the nominees were presented to me, I thought of the title ‘national artist.’
What is the significance of the title ‘national artist?’ We give an artist this honor, because this should imply that the artist contributed significantly to the Filipino race and is worthy of emulation,” He said, however, that the nomination of Aunor was “problematic” because “we all know she was convicted in a drug case.”
“She was convicted and punished and the question is, if I had proclaimed her National Artist, what message would I be conveying to the entire nation? We know how long standing our problems with illegal drugs is, along with reports that even West African and Mexican syndicates have penetrated the Philippines to spread illegal drugs,” the President said in Tagalog.
Aquino stressed that he did not want to convey the message that illegal drugs can be acceptable. “The message should be that illegal drugs is always bad and that illegal drugs will do no one any good,” he added.
“Now I cannot emphasize that message enough and at the same time raise Ms. Nora Aunor to be a national artist,” he added. Aquino said that even if he made Aunor a National Artist, some sectors would surely raise the issue over her qualification as a role model.
“But that’s how my job is. There will always be critics,” he added. In 2007, Aunor was finally cleared of the drug possession case slapped against her by a Los Angeles, California court after she complied and religiously adhered to a six-month drug rehabilitation program.
The decision was meted out after Nora’s drug test proved negative. She was reported to have willingly subjected herself to a rehabilitation facility and completed the terms and conditions given under the court-ordered drug diversion program.
Because she was cleared by the court, Nora’s U.S. record was said to be as good as new, as her acquittal automatically scrapped the drug-related charges from her papers. Nora was required by the court, however, to pay a $250 fine.
