Abaya: Aquino praises for Roxas in Sona not an endorsement

TRANSPORTATION Secretary and Liberal Party (LP) acting president Joseph Abaya on Monday said President Benigno Aquino III’s praises for Interior Secretary Mar Roxas do not yet signify an endorsement.

In an interview after Aquino’s Sona, Abaya said the commendations were only expressions of gratitude to Roxas for a job well done. Roxas is the presumptive LP standard-bearer for the 2016 elections. Aquino is LP Chairman.

“Pasasalamat yun sa serbisyo naibigay ni Secretary Roxas… Hindi yun endorsement. Iba po yun. It was a sincere honest to goodness appreciation for the help and sacrifices given by Secretary Roxas not only for the President but for the country,” Abaya said of Roxas, the LP’s president- on-leave.

President Aquino vouched for the integrity of Roxas in his last Sona despite the criticisms against the latter as overseer of the local governments and the police force.

“Kay Secretary Mar Roxas: Nasa loob o labas ka man ng gobyerno, hindi tumigil sa panlalait sa iyo ang mga kalaban ng Daang Matuwid. Dahil nga may bilang ka, dahil talagang may ibubuga ka, nagpupursigi silang ibagsak ka. Palibhasa hindi nila kayang iangat ang sarili, kaya pilit ka nilang ibinababa,” Aquino said.

“Sa patuloy nilang paninira, ang mga kritiko mo na rin ang nagpapatunay na takot sila sa angkin mong integridad, husay, at kahandaan sa trabaho. Mar, pinatutunayan mo: You can’t put a good man down. Tulad ng pagtitiwala ng nanay at tatay ko, magtiwala kang alam ng taumbayan kung sino ang tunay na inuuna ang bayan, bago ang sarili,” the President added.