Roxas: No animosity towards Revilla despite ‘Boy Pickup’ remark
Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II. INQUIRER.net file photo
MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II said he has no animosity towards Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., who had labeled him as “Boy Pickup.”
Revilla coined that name for Roxas, who he said had picked him up from Cubao in Quezon to Bahay Pangarap at Malacañang to meet with President Benigno Aquino III at the height of the impeachment trial of then Chief Justice Renato Corona in 2012.
“Wala akong hard-feelings sa kanya. Alam ko na matindi ang pressure sa kanya at alam ko naman na hindi ako ang nagbibigay ng problema sa kanya,” Roxas told reporters at the Senate after attending a hearing on Thursday.
He did not deny driving for Revilla except for the senator’s claim that he removed his vehicle’s plate number so it will not be recognized by the public as belonging to a Cabinet official.
“Hindi ko tinanggal ang plaka…hindi po ako gumagamit ng official plate number…walang katotohanan yan,” Roxas said.
But he said he was dismayed that Revilla’s own decision to sit at the back of his car became an issue when it was supposed to be a joke.
“In fact parang joke ito. O, Secretary of Transport ka dapat ipagmaneho mo ako. Ako naman sinabi ko OK lang ,” said Roxas, who used to be the head of the Department of Transportation and Communication.
“Nilagyan ng malisya kaya nakakadismaya at nakakalungkot na nilalagyan ng bahid ng kung anu-anong kulay. It was just between former colleagues in the Senate. Secretary of Transport ka, dapat ipagmaneho mo ako,” he said.
Roxas also saw nothing wrong if he had openly expressed his opinion against Corona, saying it was public knowledge that he was for his conviction.
Roxas was allegedly present when the President separately met with Revilla and Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada to discuss about Corona.
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