Duterte claims Mar Roxas had a ‘breakdown’ during Yolanda

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte alleged that his fellow presidential candidate Mar Roxas, former Interior Secretary, had a "breakdown" after Typhoon Yolanda devasted Tacloban in 2013. 

Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) is considered the most powerful storm in history ever to make landfall. Yolanda, which hit the country on November 8, 2013, affected over 1.4 million families and killed around 6,300 people.

In an interview with Mike Enriquez on Tuesday over radio dzBB’s program “Ikaw Na Ba?...The Presidential Interview,” Duterte claimed that he had witnessed how Roxas dealt with the situation in Tacloban, the most heavily damaged area in the country.

“Mar Roxas got the scare of his life during Yolanda,” Duterte said.

“I was there on Day 2. Si Mar nagka-breakdown,” Duterte alleged.

“I was there. I was talking to him. Nag-mo-monologue siya,” he said. “He was not acting like a person who was in charge of a disaster (relief operation), giving commands or critical orders.”

He said there were dead people lying on the streets. “Pagpasok ko pa lang, sabi ko pakitanggal 'yung tatlong pulis diyan nangangamoy na, 'yung pulis na patay, the carcass if you want to call it,” Duterte recounted.

He said he did not see the Navy and there was a lack of basic necessities including bottled water.

“I was there with my ‘911’—10 doctors and 10 nurses,” Duterte said.

Not believable

In a text message sent to GMA News Online on Tuesday, Daang Matuwid coalition spokesperson and Akbayan Rep. Barry Gutierrez said Roxas' well-documented actions during Yolanda are "far more believable" than Duterte's statements.

"Does anyone still believe what Mayor Duterte says? He has contradicted his own statements more times than I can count," said Gutierrez.

"The decisiveness of Sec. Mar's actions during Yolanda and other crises is well established and documented. I think the official record is far more believable than any wild claim the flip flopping Mayor Duterte can make," he added.

Duterte’s opponents

The issue about Roxas' alleged breakdown came up when Enriquez asked Duterte during the dzBB interview Tuesday what he thought of his fellow presidential candidates and who he thought was his strongest opponent.

When Duterte mentioned the supposed Yolanda incident, Enriquez was surprised and said, "Pakiulit nga po, Mayor. Bago ito ah."

Duterte and Roxas have been in a word war since late last year. This escalated in December when they exchanged threats of slapping.

On radio dzBB, Duterte quipped, "Sampalan, suntukan, barilan..." Then said he might still be able to face Roxas when it comes to sampalan but not anymore when it comes to suntukan and barilan. He said he will just ask another person to deal with this for him. "Parang mga bata..." he added.

Meanwhile, on his opponent Senator Grace Poe, Duterte said she was "malinis" and "mabait."

However, when it comes to dealing with drugs and criminality, he said his strongest opponent was Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Duterte said drugs, criminality, and corruption are the top three issues he wants to address when elected president.

However, when it comes to corruption, Duterte said Binay has a "baggage" as he is facing corruption charges. —With a report from Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/KG, GMA News