President Duterte on Tuesday maintained that he will not ask for emergency powers to resolve Metro Manila’s worsening traffic woes.
Duterte explained that even if he would be granted such, he will never be able to finish it with his remaining years as chief executive.
The Chief Executive made the statements following reports that patients have been dying while being transported to hospitals in ambulances stuck in traffic.
Duterte said he will not beg for emergency powers to resolve the traffic situation in Metro Manila. “No. Bakit ako maghingi ng emergency powers?” he said.
The President reiterated that he will never ask for emergency powers after Sen. Grace Poe said it will lead to corruption. He added that even if they think about it now, his emergency powers will not be useful.
“Sabi nung isang senador doon sa isang senador, willing daw na pag-usapan. Sabi ko, what for? I cannot complete the project. I cannot clear EDSA with the remaining years of my term,” Duterte said. “So ‘pag kinuha ko ‘yan, umalis ako hindi tapos, may maiwan pa ‘yan. They will say ‘See? I told you. Corruption. Tingnan mo ang ginawa. Iniwan pa na incomplete,'” he added.
“When as a matter of fact, verily, you cannot complete the project within three or – three or four years. Sabi ko, huwag na lang.”
Duterte said Poe ought to control her mouth after unfairly alleging that emergency powers for traffic improvement might be prone to corruption.
The President said Poe tried to appear to be “holier than thou” when she blocked his emergency power plea, telling her that not all people were corrupt.
“’Yang EDSA, hinayaan ko talaga. There was this one lady senator who said na, “No, no, ma-corrupt ‘yan.” Hindi pa nga nag-umpisa ng project, nagsasalita na ng… ‘Yung akala mo ‘yung kaharap niya corrupt, siya hindi,” he said.
“Ano sabihin ko kay Grace, ‘Grace, hindi lahat ng tao dito sa mundong ito magnanakaw. Better control your mouth, na holier than thou ka’,” he said. (Argyll Geducos and Genalyn Kabiling)
