Maine Mendoza defends Arjo Atayde anew: 'Not a single part of our life has been built on taxpayers’ money'
Maine Mendoza has once again slammed the corruption allegations about her husband, Quezon City 1st District Rep. Arjo Atayde, stressing that they do not live off taxpayers' money.
In a lengthy Facebook post, the actress-TV host addressed the allegations anew. She said she's "well aware of the accusations, criticisms and judgments" being thrown at Atayde and their family, after Curlee and Sarah Discaya named him among the politicians allegedly involved in corruption related to flood control projects.
"After being bombarded with vile remarks the past 48 hours, I will not pretend they don’t sting, but I will also not allow lies to define who we are," Mendoza wrote.
She went on to dismiss allegations that their "life has been built on taxpayers’ money."
"Everything we have comes from years of work and savings. We pay our taxes, and we pay them truthfully, because we respect the same system we are accused of betraying. Both of us (and our families) are financially capable of sustaining the lives that we live, and it’s personally offensive to be accused of spending money that we have rightfully earned outside politics," she lamented. "It’s unfair to reduce everything that we are and everything that we have worked for to that single narrative."
She further stressed that she will not accept accusations about them stealing and living off taxpayers' money.
"That is not who Arjo is, that is not who I am, and that is not who we are—no amount of noise and accusations will ever make it true. And if Arjo ever did anything dishonest, if he were truly guilty, I certainly wouldn’t defend him and cover for him. Accuse him of other things if you wish, but not of stealing from people—that is one line he has never crossed, and never will," she wrote.
The Eat Bulaga! host said she acknowledges that it was "truly distressing to see people suffer in times of crisis because of corrupt politicians who put self-interest above all else," but she stressed that the public is "condemning the wrong people."
"Nakakagalit talaga. And we also believe those who are truly guilty should face accountability," she said, saying she and Atayde continue to believe that "the truth will reveal itself in the end."
"I know we may be easy targets, but you are condemning the wrong people," she said.
"When the truth comes out, I hope those who judged and condemned us so quickly—especially those who filled platforms and our spaces with all sorts of hate—also take a moment to recognize how harsh and hasty their judgments were," she continued.
Mendoza also noted that "legal actions will be taken."
"Arjo will clear his name by proving his innocence. Let's allow due process to run its course before we condemn. God knows the truth, and we stand with clean hands," she said.
"Remember the three sides to every story: their version, our version, and the truth. And we are confident that we stand on the side of truth. Arjo has nothing to hide. He has never been guilty of stealing," Mendoza stressed.
This came a few days after she first came to her husband's defense and called out Curlee's "baseless allegations."
"Please refrain from throwing hate and personal attacks at him, including me and our family until facts come out," Mendoza wrote at the time. "I am with my husband in this. Wala siyang ginagawang masama sa loob. He has been doing his best to serve the people of his district in Quezon City since the beginning."
For his part, Atayde categorically denied Curlee's accusations in an Instagram Story entry, saying he has "never dealt with" the Discayas.
"Hindi po totoo ang mga akusasyon na ito," he said. "I have never used my position for personal gain, and I never will. I will avail of all remedies under the law to clear my name and hold accountable those who spread these falsehoods."
