MAR ROXAS SAYS HE HAS ALREADY BEGUN ADVISING THE PRESIDENT
MANILA, JANUARY 21, 2011 (MANILA STANDARD) by Roy Pelovello - PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III's chief troubleshooter, former Senator Manuel Roxas II, said Wednesday he had begun advising the President on a number of matters, but declined to say what those were.
"My conversations with the President are privileged and confidential," he told reporters in Filipino after he was re-elected Liberal Party president Wednesday morning.
"Only the President can say what has been discussed."
Roxas, who ran as Mr. Aquino's vice president but lost, said he respected the opinions that had been raised against the President's plan to name him chief troubleshooter.
"But I am ready and willing to do what the President tells me to do and help in the success of his administration," Roxas said.
Earlier, two Catholic bishops questioned the wisdom of Roxas' appointment as chief troubleshooter, saying that, with no well-defined powers, he could become more powerful than the executive secretary and the vice president.
But Mr. Aquino stood by his decision, saying he should be given a free hand to get help in solving the administration's problems.
"They are assuming he would have a lot of powers," Mr. Aquino told reporters in a brief interview at the Liberal Party's 65th anniversary celebration in San Juan.
"I think it is an uncalled for statement,"
Roxas would be assigned to help on specific problems, but the President said he would make the final decision. Roxas could be tapped to address problems involving several departments and Cabinet secretaries.
"I need somebody who comes in with the necessary expertise to understand the problem, who can digest the problem so I have more time to operationalize the solution rather than going there and investigating it," Mr. Aquino said.
He was no superman that could attend to all the nation's problems all by himself.
"That would just unnecessarily delay the sufferings of our people," he said.
"I think nobody will begrudge me if I will seek the assistance of people who have the competence to help me solve the problem."
Another concern raised by Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong was that Roxas' appointment could hurt the working relationship between the President and Vice President Jejomar Binay.
Roxas, who had shelved his presidential plans in favor of his party mate Mr. Aquino, ran for vice president but lost to Binay in the 2010 elections.
Binay's victory brought to the fore the factions within the President's camp, one called the Balay group that supported Roxas, and the other dubbed the Samar group that backed Binay.
Roxas, however, dismissed the reported rivalry, saying all of them were working to ensure the success of the Aquino administration.
----------------------------------------------------------
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2011 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
----------------------------------------------------------
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/phnotweet
This is the PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE (PHNO) Mailing List.
To stop receiving our news items, please send a blank e-mail addressed to: phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Please visit our homepage at: http://www.newsflash.org/
(c) Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
-------------------------------------------------------------
