MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte was not serious when he said it was former Department of Interior and Local Government secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas who was behind the ambush of former general and now Daanbayan, Cebu mayor Vicente Loot.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo on Wednesday said that Duterte was “obviously joking” with his accusations against the losing presidential candidate in 2016.
“President Duterte was obviously joking,” said Panelo, adding that Duterte was just irked of Loot.
During his speech in Davao City on Tuesday evening, the President denied having a hand in the recent ambush of Loot, a known protégé of Roxas, and instead tagged the Capiznon senatorial bet.
“Si Loot kaduha daw ma-ambush di mamatay-patay. Dili ako’y nagpa-ambush adto ha, si Roxas,” Duterte said. “Katong ordera to kang Roxas ba ‘to, di to ako.”
In a speech in July 2016, Duterte named six generals, including Loot, as those in the final report of government officials linked to the illegal drug trade.
Loot has denied this, saying that he was never assigned to Region 1,2, 3, and 4 and to “any juicy position or command that deals with antidrug operation.”
Meanwhile, Caloocan representative Edgar Erice, Roxas’ party mate in the Liberal Party, said the former DILG chief will let Duterte’s remark slide.
Erice added that Roxas is not a violent man.
“In the spirit of Christmas, Secretary Mar’s attitude is to just let go. Secretary Panelo had already clarified that it’s just a joke,” he said. “Secretary Mar is appealing to everyone to level up discussions in the coming election campaign. It is better to talk about issues such as our economy.” (With a report from GMA News/PN)
