MANILA, Philippines - Interior and Local Government Mar Roxas has thanked Manila Mayor Joseph "Erap" Estrada for disputing claims of Vice President Jejomar Binay that he is behind the smear campaign against the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) standard bearer.
"I texted Mayor Erap to thank him for trying to clear my name and for disproving such baseless claims," Roxas said during a press briefing on the government's security preparations for the country's All Saints Day observance.
Reports said Estrada, a staunch ally and member of Binay's party, does not believe that Roxas is behind the series of demolition jobs under "OPLAN Stop Nognog 2016," as the opposition party claims.
Roxas, reportedly being eyed as the Liberal Party's standard bearer in the 2016 national elections, discounted any plans to ally himself with former President Estrada with regard to the upcoming presidential race.
"As of now, the kind of cooperation that we need is the one that will ensure the security of our citizens during the upcoming holidays," he said, adding he would rather focus his work at the department.
Roxas ran in the May 2010 vice presidential race but lost to Binay.