No regrets in gov't response to Yolanda, says Roxas

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Administration standard bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II on Friday said he has no regrets in how the government handled the Yolanda tragedy in 2013 even as his opponents continue to use the issue to attack his candidacy.

“Papaano mo iri-regret na nakatulong ako sa ating mga kababayan? Papaano ko... walang regret sa akin. Pumunta ako dun, hindi lang dahil tungkulin ko. Kawawang kawawa ang mga kababayan natin dun. Hindi tayo umuwi, nakatutok po tayo dun hanggang nag-stabilize ang sitwasyon,” Roxas told reporters here.

Roxas, who was secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) at that time, said his rivals should stop spreading lies about the government’s response on Yolanda, which killed at least 6,000 people and rendered scores of families homeless in its aftermath.

“Nandoon po ako, tumutulong sa kanila hanggang dalawang linggo nakalipas  [at] 'di po ako umuwi, tumugon po ako sa aking tungkulin bilang DILG doon po sa Tacloban kaya wag po nating lokohin, wag nating linlangin ang ating mga kababayan,” he said.

In his campaign sortie in Tacloban, Vice President Jejomar Binay slammed Roxas for depicting himself as a hero in a comic book distributed by his supporters.

Binay said it was “shameful” for Roxas, saying the administration candidate was only “outstanding in his incompetence in trying to become a leader to rehabilitate Tacloban.”

Roxas said Vice President Binay only went to Tacloban to take photos when he handed over relief goods to the victims of the typhoon.

The LP candidate said Binay should use his campaign sorties instead to explain the string of corruption allegations he is facing.

“‘Yun po ang inyong dapat ipaliwanag. Hindi sa magtututuro kayo, magki-criticize kayo, halimbawa, kini-criticize niyo kung ano yung ginawa ko sa Yolanda, eh kayo po, dumating kayo doon, nagpamigay kayo siguro iilang oras ng mga relief goods, tinatakan niyo pa ng inyong pangalan tapos umalis na, bumalik na sa Manila,” Roxas said.

Roxas said he is getting criticisms over Yolanda because he was the only presidential candidate on the ground that time while the others were in their comfortable offices.

“Hindi ba nila nakakalimutan na sumemplang ako dahil ginagawa ko ang trabaho ko makarating sa isang malayo, liblib na lugar kung saan ground zero ito, madulas, maputik. Sila, nasaan sila? Eh diba nasa airconditioned room sila?” he said, referring to his accident while driving a motorcycle, a photo of which had circulated on social media. —KBK, GMA News