LIBERAL Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II on Friday blamed his political rivals for his alleged inept response to Super Typhoon “Yolanda” that had been appearing in social media.
Roxas, who paid a visit to the public market in Tacloban City through the invitation of Leyte Gov. Leopoldo Dominico Petilla, denied the claims in social media that Tacloban’s voters would not vote for him because of his inept response to Yolanda.
“All of that are just made up by our rivals,” Roxas told reporters.
He also slammed Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and claimed that Duterte’s claims against him were meant to increase the mayor’s approval ratings.
“You know, he’s going down in the surveys and that’s why he’s looking at me,” Roxas said in Dulag town in Leyte.
“I’m always the one he sees to elevate himself [in the surveys].
Roxas placed third in the January 2016 preferential polls for president by the survey firm Social Weather Stations, receiving 21 percent of the votes while Duterte placed fourth at 20 percent. Vice President Jejomar Binay received 31 percent to place first while Senator Grace Poe placed second with 24 percent.
Roxas said the Interior Department that he used to head had finished 85 percent of the projects intended for victims of Typhoon Yolanda.
In the earlier interviews, Roxas maintained that he did everything to mobilize help for the Yolanda-hit areas.
“Before Yolanda came I was already here. I risked my life to be with you and prepare. We did all before, during and after. I never left,” Roxas said.
Last October, Roxas’ spokesman Barry Gutierrez said Roxas and his running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, also received “unfair attacks” in the social media sites, including the one liners “Bahala kayo sa buhay n’yo” and “You are a Romualdez and the President is an Aquino.” John Paolo Bencito
Gutierrez added that the tandem of Roxas and Robredo “haven’t whined, or complained, or screamed “black propaganda” at the top of their lungs” against the attacks being thrown to them, instead “quietly, calmly, patiently answered every question, issued the necessary clarifications, and taken the appropriate steps to address each issue.”