Mar Roxas on attack mode, slams rivals

MANILA, Philippines - Liberal Party (LP) presidential candidate Manuel “Mar” Roxas II continued to be in attack mode on Friday, criticizing the statements of his rivals and calling them names. 

 

Roxas’s latest tirades targeted not only survey frontrunner Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte but also Sen. Grace Poe and Vice President Jejomar Binay. All the three candidates edged Roxas in the latest pre-election polls conducted by the Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia.

 

With regard to Duterte, who is now being ganged up on by his rivals in the presidential race, Roxas said the mayor has been inconsistent in his statements on key issues including the South China Sea row. He said Duterte had initially opposed arbitration proceedings and even challenged the Chinese to a fist fight and a gun battle.

 

RELATED: Roxas intensifies tirades, tags Duterte's views as 'narrow and limited'

 

“He (Duterte) has overturned his position and now favors arbitration,” Roxas said, referring to the Philippines’ decision to file a case against China before an international arbitral tribunal.

 

“It is important for you to know in case it’s not yet clear to you: The president is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. As commander-in-chief, one should remain calm. This is not about tough words. Lives are at stake here,” he added.

 

Roxas, who ranked fourth in latest pre-election surveys, also criticized Duterte for allegedly helping members of the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the communist movement.

 

“The NPA (members) kill our policemen and soldiers… As president, he should implement the laws of our country and should not favor things that are illegal and against the principles of our country,” he added.

 

Roxas said Duterte’s statements only prove that he is an “ampaw,” a Filipino term referring to someone who lacks substance.

 

Roxas’s name-calling did not stop there. During an ambush interview in Pasay, the LP standard bearer referred to Binay as “magnanakaw” or thief twice.

 

When asked to react to Binay’s claim that the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps), which provides cash assistance to poor households, is being used to boost the LP campaign, Roxas said: “Ito naman si magnanakaw (There goes the thief again). He should just explain how the building that costs P200 million became P2.3 billion.”

 

Roxas also chided Poe for saying that she would appoint Duterte as her anti-crime czar. The senator previously said she would designate retired Marine Col. Ariel Querubin to the post.

 

“Sen. Grace who really is your anti-crime czar? During the last debate, you mentioned twice or three times that Col. Querubin would be your anti-crime czar. Now it’s Mayor Duterte,” Roxas said.

 

“Being a president is a serious job. A president promotes and guards the interests of the entire Filipino nation. This cannot be done through half-baked pronouncements, tirades or off the cuff statements. The word of a president and commander-in-chief is authentic policy,” he added.

 

Roxas’s spokesman, Akbayan Rep. Ibarra "Barry" Gutierrez III, scored Poe for considering Duterte as her anti-crime czar despite the human rights abuses attributed to him.

 

“Senator Poe's pronouncement appointing Mayor Duterte as crime czar makes it clear that she cannot lead the forces for a decent Philippines. How can she stand up for the rights of our citizens if she believes the Mayor when he says we have to murder children to suppress crime?” Gutierrez said.

 

“This is the real world and not the movies. Those who were shot would not rise again. Real and decent leadership is about fighting for the right, no matter how unpopular it may be,” he added.