Roque on critics amid 'beating UP' remark: Slow sila to gets

"Medyo slow sila to gets."

This was how presidential spokesperson Harry Roque replied to critics who pounced on him for his statement about the country winning over the UP predication regarding COVID-19 cases.

"Medyo-medyo slow sila to gets, 'no? Hindi po talaga UP ang kalaban," Roque said in an interview on Unang Hirit on Wednesday.

A UP alumnus and also a former UP law professor, Roque stressed that the real "enemy" remains to be COVID-19.

"Ang kaaway po natin ay COVID-19, kaya lang po ginagamit ng UP ang mathematical models para mag-forecast kung ilan sa atin ang magkakaroon ng COVID-19," he said.

In a separate television interview, Roque said the official data showed that “with behavioral change, we can prevail over the disease.”

“I was congratulating the people, not the government’s efforts, because in the end, it’s the people that will determine how fast the disease will spread,” he told ANC.

“We’re on track, given that there’s still no vaccine and there is no medicine. The only way we will ultimately win against this disease is we develop a vaccine and an antidote for it.”

Roque on Tuesday congratulated the public after the number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines did not reach 40,000 by the end of June as projected by a group of experts citing study.

“Panalo na tayo. We beat the UP prediction po. We beat it, so congratulations Philippines. Let’s do it again in July. We are winning,” Roque had said, raising his fist in the air to show his happiness over the development.

As of June 30, the number of COVID-19 cases in the country was only about 36,000.

Critics, however, like Senator Risa Hontiveros and Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes, quickly slammed Roque for his statement.

"No, Harry. We did not win squat. The self-congratulations is grossly misinformed and intellectually dishonest," Reyes said in a statement.

"Hala. COVID-19 ang kalaban, hindi UP," Hontiveros said in response via Twitter. --with Virgil Lopez/KBK, GMA News