Harry Roque said that expressing support for candidates in public events couldn’t be avoided.
HARRY ROQUE — The Presidential spokesperson said on Friday that expressing support for candidates in public events couldn’t be avoided.
Roque defended himself and his colleagues from the Cabinet from criticisms that they turned a pandemic milestone event into a campaign sortie when they heaped praises for a possible vice-presidential candidate.
Netizens recently called out Roque and his peers for “campaigning” for President Rodrigo Duterte’s long-time aide Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and former Public Works Secretary Mark Villar who were running for vice president and senator, respectively.
Officials like Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benhur Abalos and Testing Czar Vince Dizon openly “campaigned” for Villar, while Roque and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III expressed their support for Senator Go.
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In an online presser on Friday, the Palace spokesman said that expressing support for their two former colleagues in the Cabinet couldn’t be avoided.
“Nagkataon po meron po doong senador na kandidato rin sa vice president. Eh, siyempre, kahit papano magbibigay ng suporta ang mga nagsalita kasama na ako doon,” Roque said, referring to Senator Go whom he had referred to during the event as his “best friend” in the Senate.
According to him, he didn’t think that what happened can be compared to a campaign rally because Senator Go was supposedly the only proclaimed candidate there, apparently forgetting Villar was also in the said event.
Roque also downplayed the criticisms as statements coming from people who did nothing to address the ongoing crisis. Despite this, the Palace spokesman said that it’s still the people who will decide who their next leaders will be.
“Talagang you cannot please everyone. Bahala na po ang taong bayan,” Roque said.
Moreover, Roque said that what’s important was that they have commemorated the biggest vaccination center in Valenzuela City.
Roque made the statement after he and other Cabinet members drew flak for when the inauguration of a mega vaccination hub in Valenzuela City last October 7 resembled a campaign sortie for the administration’s candidates for the 2022 polls.
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