MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang on Wednesday responded to Baler, Aurora Mayor Nelianto Bihasa who reportedly claimed that he did not receive relief goods from the administration's 2016 candidates.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the relief goods distributed by LP presidential candidate Manuel Roxas II and his running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo were meant for typhoon victims in Baler and not for their mayor.
Roxas and Robredo visited Baler on Tuesday.
"Sino ba ang mas mahalaga rito? Ang ibigay ang relief goods sa mayor o ibigay ang relief goods sa taumbayan?" Lacierda said in a press briefing.
Lacierda said the LP media bureau released a photo proving that Baler residents received relief goods from the LP candidates.
"Paki-clarify lang siguro ni Mayor Bihasa kung siya mismo, hindi dumaan sa kanya ang relief goods. Hindi namin problema 'yon because ang mahalaga sa amin 'yung taumbayan," Lacierda said.
"Ang taumbayan dapat ang makatanggap ng relief goods, at hindi si Mayor Bihasa," he added.
Lacierda dismissed Bihasa's claim that there was politics involved in the distribution of relief goods led by Roxas and Robredo on Tuesday.
Bihasa is from the PDP-Laban political party, which fielded a different presidential candidate.
But Lacierda said Bihasa's party is allied with LP.
"Ang PDP-Laban hindi ho kalaban, kasama ho sa coalition ang PDP-Laban. Bakit niya lalagyan ng pulitika ang isang bagay na hindi naman nilalagyan ng dapat lagyan ng pulitika. Nasabi po natin ay tutulungan po ang taumbayan," he said.
Lacierda also maintained that the administration will help typhoon-hit areas regardless of political affiliation. - Louis Bacani