Don’t listen to my opponents’ lies, Roxas tells ‘Yolanda’ victims

PALO, Leyte - Administration standard bearer Manuel "Mar" Roxas II on Wednesday appealed to his supporters here to brush off the supposed lies peddled by his opponents in the presidential race about his response to Typhoon Yolanda, which killed at least 6,000 in 2013.

"Bago dumating ang unos, habang nandito at hanggang matapos ang unos, hindi ko kayo pinabayaan...Huwag po natin paniwalaan ang mga paninira na laganap ngayon sa dahil sa halalan," Roxas said.

"May kasabihan sa politika na kung hindi mo maangat ang sarili mo, aba'y pababain na lang ang mga katunggali mo at yan ang nararanasan natin ngayon," he added.

Roxas said he can look the victims of Typhoon Yolanda in the eye and tell them that he did everything he could when Yolanda, considered the strongest typhoon in 2013, hit the country.

The supposed slow response of the Aquino government to Yolanda is often blamed on Roxas, who was then Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Roxas also recently drew flak for being potrayed as a hero during the Yolanda tragedy in the comic book distributed by his supporters as part of the election campaign.

In his sortie here, Roxas said the government has spent P89 billion for Yolanda rehabilitation.

"Lahat ng maaaring kinilos ay ginawa. Walang pagpapabaya," he said.

"Kayo mismo ang patunay. Hindi man perpekto, hindi naman paradiso pero malayo na ang narating natin," Roxas said.

Leyte Governor Dominic Petilla said Roxas did not leave their province until it recovered from the calamity.

"Mismong siya andito. Ang naranasan niyang ito, ang masakit na experience ng mga Leyteños,  naramdaman din niya...Tayo ay bumangon. Siya rin bumangon kasabay natin," Petilla said.

Roxas is also set to hold gatherings in the municipalities of Barugo, Leyte, and Ormoc later in the day. — RSJ, GMA News