Panelo: Duterte not keen on replacing Tugade

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte is keen on keeping Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade even after Sen. Grace Poe said he needs to be replaced for failing to deal with the traffic mess in Metro Manila, Malacañang said yesterday.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said there is no need for Tugade to resign as he still enjoys the trust of the President.

“Of course, 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,” said Panelo when asked if the Palace still trusts Tugade to solve the traffic problem in the metropolis.

Instead of criticizing Tugade, Panelo challenged Poe to name the person who she thinks would be able to solve the traffic mess.

“Maybe she should give us a name, Senator Grace,” Panelo said, in response to the senator’s call that Tugade be replaced.

Panelo reminded Poe, who chairs the Senate committee on public services, that the traffic problem would have been addressed if Congress gave the Chief Executive emergency powers.

“But precisely they were given the option, this is our solution: the President needs emergency powers, give it to him. But her response was it could be abused, result in coruption, that’s why the President was annoyed,” Panelo said.

Now that the emergency powers are again being discussed at the Senate, Panelo said the President may change his mind in looking at ways to handle the traffic problem.

‘Thinks highly of herself’

The Department of Transportation (DOTr), meanwhile, fired back at Poe for her remarks on Tugade.

Tugade said he will not allow himself to be used as “props” by “misguided politicians” as he serves only at the pleasure of the President.

“She thinks too highly of herself. Even my position she wants to meddle with? I serve only at the pleasure of the President. Not subject to the whims, caprice and theatrics of misguided politicians,” Tugade said in response to Poe’s remarks that he should be replaced as he is underperforming.

Poe and Tugade have been at odds about the granting of emergency powers to President Duterte to address Metro Manila’s traffic crisis.

Poe believes there are a lot of things the DOTr can do under existing laws to solve the traffic crisis and speed up implementation of transportation projects.

Tugade, however, said the grant of emergency powers would aid in the swift resolution of traffic woes in the country.

In an open letter to Poe yesterday, the DOTr said traffic management is not part of the agency’s mandate.

“Under the mandate covered by the DOTr, it is not fair to call the transportation secretary as underperforming because that is not true,” it said.

“Madam Senator, it is not Secretary Tugade’s habit to sleep on the job. That is why the department is implementing 24/7 construction and partial operability timelines is because of his intention to bring immediate public service on transportation to the Filipinos,” the DOTr said.

Open private subdivisions

Lawmakers, however, believe that Duterte definitely needs emergency powers to at least mitigate the long-running traffic problem in Metro Manila.

Rep. Precious Hipolito-Castelo pointed out that with such authority granted by Congress (Senate and House of Representatives), then “traffic rules will be strictly enforced and subdivisions already donated to local governments can be opened for motorists.” 

“There should be no worries that emergency powers will be abused as all accounting and auditing rules will still be subscribed,” the congresswoman said.

Castelo, vice chairperson of the House committee on Metro Manila Development said the emergency powers for the President is the key to the long-term solutions to traffic woes in the capital.

“We can’t forever rely on transport network companies, P2P buses, taxis or motorcycle hails companies. We should aim for more mass transport infrastructures that are efficient and reliable,” Castelo said. 

Law and order in the country will be achieved if the Duterte administration will be able to solve the perennial traffic mess where petty crimes usually originate, Rep. Niña Taduran of party-list ACT-CIS said.

“The more time people spend trapped in traffic, the more they are exposed to petty criminals who prey on their victims like shooting fish in a barrel,” she said.

“The President needs emergency powers to cut through all this red tape and just get things done,” Taduran added.

“Building the necessary infrastructure to support the transportation needs of Metro Manila’s ever increasing population is the key to solving the gridlock in the streets,” the administration lawmaker added. – With Delon Porcalla