Palace says no need for Tugade to resign as Duterte still trusts him

MANILA, Philippines — There is no need for President Rodrigo Duterte to replace Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade despite the monstrous traffic jam in Metro Manila, Malacañang said Thursday.

“Of course,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing when asked if the Palace still trusts Tugade to solve the traffic problem in the metro.

“Mr. Tugade has already laid out the table in the Senate. He is suggesting that emergency powers be granted to the President as he previously did. But the problem is he wasn’t able to get it, that’s why the President was no longer interested,” Panelo added.

Senator Grace Poe on Thursday said Tugade should be replaced for continuing traffic and transport problems in the metro.

READ: Poe believes Tugade should be replaced amid Metro traffic woes

Poe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Services, said that the transport chair “did not perform” his duties.

But Panelo dismissed Poe’s comment.

“I don’t believe in that,” he said.

The Palace official then hit back at Poe saying that if she did not oppose the granting of emergency powers to Duterte, the traffic problem in Edsa could have been solved.

“Ikinalulungkot niya? Nalulungkot din ako para sa kanya kasi kung hindi nila kinontra ‘yung pangangailangan at that time, siguro wala na tayong problema sa Edsa,” he said.

“They were given nga the option. Ito ang solusyon namin diyan, kailangan ng emergency powers ni Presidente, bigyan niyo siya. Pero ang naging sagot niya o kung sinuman ang iba pa, eh baka daw magka-abuso, baka mag-corruption. Kaya nayamot si Presidente. ‘Ah, ganoon, oh sige, bahala na kayo diyan’,” he added.

On August 21, Duterte, who is already fed up with trying to solve the horrific traffic congestion in Metro Manila, said that without him having emergency powers: “Let Edsa rot there.”

READ: Duterte: No emergency powers? ‘Let Edsa rot there’
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