MANILA, Philippines — The campaign manager of former Senator Mar Roxas has asked voters not to fall for misleading information about allegedly missing funds for the rehabilitation of areas devastated by Super Typhoon “Yolanda.”
Caloocan 2nd Dist. Rep. Edgar Erice said in a statement on Thursday that the testimony of Senator Panfilo Lacson is just one of the many proofs that Roxas never stole any money earmarked for the reconstruction of Yolanda-hit towns in Eastern Visayas.
“Malinaw sa mga COA report, sa mga ginawang imbestigasyon, at ngayon, sa sinabi ng rehabilitation czar na si Senator Ping Lacson: Walang ninakaw na Yolanda funds si Mar Roxas,” Erice said in a statement.
(It is clear from COA reports, from investigations conducted, and now, from what rehabilitation czar Senator Ping Lacson said: Mar Roxas did not steal any Yolanda funds.)
“Kaya nga kasabay ng pasasalamat namin kay Senator Ping, nananawagan kami sa ating mga kababayan: Doon lang po tayo sa totoo,” he added.
(So, along with our gratitude to Senator Ping, we call on our fellowmen: Let us stick to the truth.)
After Yolanda pummeled households and establishments, then-President Benigno S. Aquino III appointed Lacson as the rehabilitation czar, working with Roxas, who was then Interior Secretary.
READ: Aquino signs Lacson appointment as rehabilitation czar
In a press briefing on Thursday, Lacson cleared Roxas — whom he labeled as President Rodrigo Duterte’s favorite punching bag for the controversial typhoon funds — of any wrongdoings in the Yolanda funds.
“Hindi lang sa kaibigan ko si Mar Roxas pero naawa rin ako minsan sa kanya dahil sya ‘yung favorite punching bag ni President. Ang laging nababanat sa kanya ‘yung Yolanda,” Lacson said.
“It’s unfair, to say the least, na parang s’ya ‘yung naging poster boy ng Yolanda […] I’d just like to correct that very wrong impression na si Secretary Roxas or Senator Roxas abused the funds. No, far from it. It never happened,” he added.
READ: Lacson backs Duterte ‘punching bag,’ 9 other senatorial bets
READ: Duterte slams Roxas: Where are billions of ‘Yolanda’ funds?
Erice then asked voters to vote wisely and discern fake news — which is prevalent because of the election season.
Roxas is seeking a Senate return, running under the Otso Diretso slate.
“Panahon ngayon ng kampanya, at uso ang pagpapakalat ng mga fake news at intriga katulad ng nangyari noong 2016. Sigurado ako na maraming netizens ang nakakapansin na espesyal na atensiyon ang ibinibigay ng mga troll kay Mar,” the lawmaker said.
“Mahalaga ang desisyon na gagawin ng mga botante sa darating na eleksiyon, dahil may epekto ito sa kinabukasan natin at ng ating mga anak. Tiwala kami na ang pagbabatayan nila ay ang katotohanan, at hindi ang sabi-sabi ng kung sinu-sino sa internet,” he claimed.
Erice also said that accusations against Roxas would not remove the reality of high prices, and other problems in relation to the country’s economy.
“Hindi rin mabubura ng mga fake news ang realidad na mahal ang presyo ng mga bilihin, maraming naghahanap ng trabaho, at hindi sapat ang kita ng ating mga kababayan,” he added. /kga