Roxas hits back at critics of jet plane for campaign sorties

SILAY CITY, Negros Occidental – Administration bet Mar Roxas defended anew his use of a private jet for campaign sorties, saying the lease money comes from his own pocket.

“Ito lang masasabi ko diyan, simpleng-simple: Hindi ‘yan libre, hindi ‘yan pabor, at hindi ‘yan arbor. Binayaran ko ‘yan,” Roxas told reporters in a chance interview in this city.

“Pangalawa, ang masisiguro ko sa inyo, higit sa lahat, hindi ninakaw ang pera na pinambayad diyan,” Roxas added.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, another presidential hopeful running in the May elections, has alleged that the Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer is extending special treatment and favors to a businessman who owns the aircraft Roxas is using for the election campaign.

Friends with Gutierrez

Duterte accused Roxas of corruption for leasing planes from Francis Eric Gutierrez, whose company, SR Metals Inc. (SRMI), had been fined by the government in 2007 for over-mining nickel ore.

Roxas admits being friends with Gutierrez.

“Sa pagkakaalam ko, siya ay isang winner sa mga contest both international and local sa maayos na pamamahala sa kanilang kompanya. Kaibigan ko siya at... anong masama doon?” he said.

“Ngayon, tinanong n’yo ako tungkol sa aking paggamit ng eroplano papunta sa iba't ibang bahagi ng ating bansa, sinagot ko. Eh ‘yung ibang kandidato? Siguro maganda rin na ‘yung kaparehas na tanong ay matanong sa kanila.” – VS, GMA News