The Mayor of Tacloban City, Mayor Alfred Romualdez criticized the Philippine President Aquino and DILG Secretary Mar Roxas during an interview on Monday, December 9, 2013 for engaging in partisan politics during the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda.
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According to Mayor Romualdez, the national government ignored his request to augment the police force in the city. He, however, confirmed that the Philippine National Police sent Special Action Forces elements to Tacloban City.
Mayor Romualdez revealed that he had “difficulty communicating” with the national government officials because “there were things asked for us.” he stated.
The Mayor of Tacloban was quoted as saying, “They wanted an ordinance immediately for a curfew. And I said: it is difficult to have an ordinance for a curfew because we have no fiscal’s office, no court. If these people violate the curfew and be arrested, how can they post bail? Why don’t we just have checkpoints? And this went on and on, and yet every day. We were meeting every day, every morning. I could not understand why we could not get that support,” he said.
The Mayor who belongs to the clan of Aquino’s rival, the Marcoses, noted that in one meeting, Mar Roxas asked him to “legalize everything” by p(–foul word(s) removed–)ing an ordinance allowing the national government to conduct relief and rescue efforts in the city.
Romualdez answered and quoted “I told him: why is it illegal? As far as I know, the President is the president of the Philippines and he is also president of Tacloban City. I don’t see anywhere in the law, that you need a letter or ordinance from me for you to come in and do what you are doing,” he said.
According to Romualdez the DILG Secretary answered him, “You have to remember: we have to be very careful because you are a Romualdez and the president is an Aquino,” he said.
There’s also a controversy that Romualdez was being asked to resign to his post as Tacloban mayor. Romualdez clarified and said that Roxas’ request was for him to write a letter saying that he could no longer do some of the functions as mayor of Tacloban, which would allow the national government to step in and help the city.
Mayor Romualdez was advised by his lawyers not to write the letter since it could be deemed as a resignation letter.
Watch the video interview of Mayor Romualdez through a report from ANC.