Roxas: No offer yet for DILG post

Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Transportation  Secretary  Manuel “Mar” Roxas  denied  on Monday  that  President  Benigno Aquino III  has  offered  him to head the  Department of  Interior and Local  Government  (DILG).

The DILG post was left vacant by the sudden demise of Secretary Jesse Robredo, who perished in a plane crash in  Masbate last August 18.

“Huwag kayong making sa mga spekulasyon na ganyan. Wala naming ganun e,” Roxas  said  over  ABS-CBN’s  morning show  “Umagang Kay  Ganda.”

He refused to say however  whether or not he was willing to take the post  if offered to him, saying  it was  premature to talk about it  now.

“Hintahyin na lang natin na ilibing si Sec.  Jess. Talagang hindi namantama  na pag usapan ito di ba? Hindi pa natin sya nalilibing at bilang paggalang sa kanyang memorya , sa kanyang  legacy ay ilagay natin sya katahimikan,” Roxas said.

What was important, he said, an officer-in-charge was appointed to ensure that that the  DILG would  continue its  operations despite  the  sudden death of Robredo.

Aquino  appointed  Executive Secretary  Paquito Ochoa as OIC of the  department  until  the President finds  Robredo’s replacement.

Both  Roxas and  Ochoa were mentioned in newspapers reports as among those  allegedly being considered for the vacant post.