In Cebu City, Roxas in no mood for queries on ‘Oplan Nognog’

ROXAS and fellow Liberal Party stalwart Budget Secretary Florencio Abad give each other high fives at a conference on good governance in Cebu City. In their middle is Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III, also a Liberal Party loyalist. JUNJIE MENDOZA/CEBU DAILY NEWS

CEBU CITY—If there’s one question that Local Government Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II wouldn’t be in the mood to answer these days, it’s whether or not he is part of a so-called plot to prevent Vice President Jejomar Binay, Roxas’ political rival, from becoming President in 2016.

Dubbed “Oplan Stop Nognog in 2016,” the plot supposedly involves Roxas and the Liberal Party.

Asked about it during a break in a good governance seminar here, Roxas’ eyebrows knit and answered in an irritated tone: “Absolutely, there’s no truth to it.”

“I heard about it but there is no truth to it,” he said.

Asked what reason he sees for being linked to the plot, Roxas snapped: “Why ask me? Ask Binay!”

Asked to comment what he thinks about the meeting between Binay and President Aquino on Oct. 14 at Bahay Pangarap, the residence near Malacañang Palace that was refurbished for Mr. Aquino, Roxas said: “I was not there.”

Roxas, along with presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda and Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, was in Cebu City to attend the opening of the two-day Good Governance Dialogue at the Crown Regency Hotel that opened on Friday.

The dialogue was participated in by local government units in Central Visayas as well as stakeholders in the private sector, academe, civil society and government and nongovernment aid organizations.

Roxas appeared to be piqued when he was pursued for further questions, turning his back at one time when asked again to continue commenting on Oplan Nognog.

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