Aspiring presidential candidate Mar Roxas the current DILG Secretary assured the Filipino public in Metro Manila that there will be smooth traffic along EDSA despite the protest rally of some members of the powerful Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC). The assurance was released by the outgoing DILG Secretary after motorists experienced heavy traffic along EDSA on Friday night.
According to the DILG Secretary, he and the government officials, including the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino and mayors Herbert Bautista of Quezon City and Benhur Abalos of Mandaluyong, have already discussed on how to manage the traffic in the areas.
The caused of the heavy traffic in EDSA on Friday night at the corner of EDSA and Shaw Boulevard was due to the protest actions of the Iglesia Ni Cristo members. The INC members protests about the alleged bias of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima in the case against INC leaders.
During a press conference DILG Sec. Mar Roxas was quoted as saying “Alam nyo po 17 milyon ang mga kababayan natin na nakatira dito sa kamaynilaan, sa NCR at itong mga kalye, itong mga arteries na ito ay kailangang manatiling bukas kumbaga sa kalusugan ng tao yan, kapag nagkaroon ng blockage konek-kunektado na po ‘yan at baka magka-heart attack pa . Kaya napakahalaga po na manatiling bukas ang mga arteries na ito…para ang mga kababayan natin ay makakarating sa paroroonan,” Roxas said.
Sec. Mar Roxas added further that the issue between the INC and the DOJ will be addressed in due time. The announcement of Mar Roxas assuring motorists a smooth flow of traffic in EDSA came after numerous posts on social media went viral indicating that the reasons why government did not act the usual way was because some officials sought the group’s vote in the upcoming national elections.
The mayors of Quezon City, Mandaluyong City, the MMDA and the DILG are closely monitoring the protests made by some members of the INC. Mandaluyong and Quezon City policemen were already deployed to the area to ensure that the INC ranks wuold not be infiltrated by groups want to disrupt the gathering.
