MANILA, Philippines - Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas III on Thursday downplayed the “Boy Pick Up†tag he got from Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., who turned the tables against the Aquino administration for meddling in the impeachment trial of deposed chief justice Renato Corona in 2012.
“This is like a big joke. Sen. Revilla told me that I should drive since I am the transportation secretary, so I drove for him. I did not put any malice onto it. I am saddened that now, he has given it another meaning,†Roxas said in Filipino.
Revilla revealed Monday that Roxas drove him to Malacanang after the secretary facilitated a meeting, where, according to the senator, the President pleaded for his support to oust Corona.
The secretary reacted adversely to Revilla’s claims that he and the Palace could be behind Luy’s recent attacks against the senator’s father, former senator Ramon Revilla Sr.
“Hindi ko kilala si Benhur Luy, wala akong realsyon wala ako anuman kay Benhur Luy or Napoles. Wala din kinalaman ang Malacanang kay Benhur Luy o kay Ginang Napoles. so paanong sasabihin na ang Malacanang ang ansa likod nito,†Roxas said.
Interviewed at the Senate after a post disaster management review by lawmakers, Roxas noted that senators also grilled Luy and the other whistleblowers at the height of the pork barrel controversy last year.
“Pangalawa, si Benhur Luy ang mismong tumestigo dito sa Senado at kinilatis dito. Wala kaming kinalaman sa mga testigo,†he said.
Rather than resort to finger-pointing, Roxas said Revilla should face the accusations hurled by Luy against him in connection with the pork barrel scam.
“I am not his problem. Benhur Luy and the other whistleblowers are his problem,†Roxas added.
Contrary to Revilla’s claims that he, along with President Aquino and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad intervened in the Corona impeachment case, Roxas explained that he was vocal then about the need to convict the former chief justice. “It is not a secret, it’s a public knowledge,†he said.
“We saw that the evidence were proper and we had the same view [on Corona’s guilt],†he said, reiterating the President’s stand that the 20 senator-judges voted for Corona’s ouster based on evidence.
Roxas added he does not see anything wrong with his decision to bring Revilla and the other senators to Malacanang at the height of the Corona trial.
“Walang masama sa pagsundo, tinignan ko ito bilang pagkukumba.., bilang colleague, magkaksama kami dito sa Senado maayos ang among relasyon, para s aakin hindi isyu sa akin na sinundo ko sila,†he said.
Apart from Revilla, Roxas also personally drove and accompanied Senator Jinggoy Estrada to Bahay Pangarap. It was President Aquino who admitted that he also talked with Senators TG Guingona and Ralph Recto, who did not see anything wrong with the President’s gestures since they are partymates.
“Pangalawa, ang Bahay Pangarap doon ang bahay ng Pangulo at una, hindi madaling pumasok doon at pangalawa, nais ng PSG na hindi dapat dumami ang makakaalam ng procedures doon. Kaya imbes na driver ang ginamit, ako ang nagmaneho,†Roxas said.
Roxas and Revilla’s paths did not cross at the Senate hearing. Revilla dropped by at the post disaster review hearing where Roxas was among the invited resource persons.
Roxas said he did not notice Revilla since he was preparing for his presentation.