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Roxas defends self on Yolanda response, disowns MRT contract mess


Administration standard bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II on Sunday defended himself over his alleged incompetence in dealing with the Yolanda crisis in Tacloban and the maintenance contract mess over the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) operations.

Speaking during the first presidential debate at the Capitol University in Cagayan de Oro, Roxas said over 100 contracts on for transportation infrastructure projects worth P100-billion were bidded out by the government.

“Napa-bid namin na walang anomalya, walang alingawngaw, at walang kontrobersya.'Yan nangyari lahat 'yan, ports, airports at iba pang imprastruktura na nangyayari at ginawa hanggang sa ngayon,” Roxas said.

On the supposed MRT maintenance contract, the Liberal Party (LP) presidential candidate said he nixed the proposal of a private sector because of the anomalies surrounding the deal.

He noted the new MRT trains will be functional starting next month.

Roxas was the secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications before he was transferred to head the Department of Interior and Local Government, to replace the position vacated by his predecessor, the late Jesse Robredo, who perished in a plane crash.

Robredo was the husband of Leni, Roxas' running mate in the 2016 elections.

Yolanda crisis

On the 2013 Yolanda crisis, Roxas said he stayed in Tacloban, the most-hit province, until the situation stabilized.

“Hindi ako bumitaw hangga't nag-stabilize ang sitwasyon, hind katulad ng iba na dumating at nag-helicopter, nagturista, umalis at marami na ngayong sinasabi,” he said.

It was an apparent swipe against Vice President Jejomar Binay of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

“Hindi ko binitawan, hindi ko kinalimutan, hindi ko phinoto-op o pinulitika ang ating mga kababayan,” he said.

In his counter-argument, Binay said Roxas earned the ire of Tacloban residents because of his performance then as DILG secretary.

“Pagkatapos ng nangyari sa Leyte, grabe ang galit sa kanya ng mga taga-Leyte dahil sa kapalkpakan niya,” Binay said.

Roxas and Binay are known political rivals since the 2010 vice-presidential elections wherein Binay beat Roxas by a slim margin of 700,000 votes.

Binay said that, unlike Roxas, he is a “decisive and effective leader.”

“Hindi ho mangyayari 'yan kung ako lang ang nalagay sa pwesto ni Seretary Roxas, yung bang may analysis-paralysis,” Binay said. – Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/VS, GMA News
 

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