MANILA, Philippines – Haters are simply going to hate.

Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II shrugged off criticism hurled at him over a comic book that his supporters produced. Called “Sa Gitna ng Unos,” it tells a “dramaticized” story of the presidential candidate’s life.

An extensive part of the campaign material portion on his involvement in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

“Alam mo ‘yung mga natutuwa, maraming salamat sa mga natutuwa. Sa mga nagre-react nang negative, malamang mga kakampi sila nga aking mga katunggali. Siguro nakita nila na epektibo ito kaya nagre-react sila nang negative. Ganyan naman talaga ‘yan,” Roxas told reporters in Quezon province on Tuesday, March 29.

(Those who were amused, thank you. Those who reacted negatively, it’s likely they are on the side of my rivals. Maybe they realize that it’s effective, so they react negatively. That’s how it works.)

Roxas was asked about a comic book that was distributed during the birthday party of LP Cavite chairman Erineo Maliksi on Easter Sunday. The comic depicts Roxas’ life – from his entry into politics up until he got President Benigno Aquino III’s endorsement.

But it also goes into detail about Roxas’ track record in government, including his role as one of two Cabinet secretaries who were on ground zero in the aftermath of Yolanda.

“The comic book was made by supporters who wished to inform our countrymen of what Mar did during Yolanda. This was made due to the continued spread of lies about his deeds,” Roxas’ spokesman Akbayan Representative Ibarra Gutierrez earlier said.

Speaking to media on Tuesday, Roxas thanked those supporters who have yet to be identified.

“Nagpapasalamat ako sa ating mga supporters sa kanilang paggawa, pagpapaliwanag nitong pangyayari noong kapanahunang ‘yun, nagpapasalamat ako sa kanila. Ang komiks naman ay kabahagi ng ating kultura, kabahagi ng regular o kumbensyunal na pangangampanya,” he said.

(I want to thank my supporters for producing that comic book and explaining what happened during those times. Comics are part of our culture, they’re part of regular or conventional campaigns.)

In Manila, Roxas’ ally, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman, said the criticisms hurled at him over Yolanda were “unfair.”

“‘Di ko maintindihan bakit sinasabi ng media na wala siya, na wala siyang ginawa. Nandoon siya, siya ‘yung nag-meeting araw-araw doon,” Soliman said in a press conference on Tuesday.

(I don’t understand why media says he was not there, that he did nothing. He was there, and he held daily meetings there.)

Roxas arrived in Leyte a day before Yolanda made landfall on November 8, 2013, and stayed there for over two weeks.

“Nakikita ninyo kami araw-araw nagmi-meeting sa sports center, ini-interview ‘nyo si Sec Mar, alam ninyong nandoon siya, alam ninyong araw-araw ginagawa namin food distribution,” Soliman told reporters.

(You saw us there everyday, holding meetings at the sports center. You interviewed Sec Mar, and you knew every day we would conduct food distribution.)

Without naming anyone, Soliman compared Roxas, who stayed for weeks, with his critics who, days after Yolanda struck, came in a helicopter to distribute goods only to leave immediately after.

“At ‘yung ibang nagsasabing sila ay nagmalasakit, ako ang testigo, hindi sila natutulog sa Tacloban. Wala sila doon noong first 3 or 4 days. Nagdatingan lang sila on the 5th day, 6th day. Darating ang eroplano nila, magbibigay, aalis. ‘Di sila tumira sa Tacloban,” Soliman pointed out.

(Some of those who say they care, I can testify, they did not sleep in Tacloban. They were not there during the first 3 or 4 days. They arrived on the 5th day, the 6th day. Their plane arrived, they distributed goods, they left. They did not stay in Tacloban.)

During the first presidential debate in February, Roxas called out Binay for being a tourist in a helicopter in the aftermath of the typhoon.

Binay answered back, saying at least he saw many things from his helicopter, unlike the former interior secretary who “pagkatapos sa Leyte nawala na” (went missing after going to Leyte). – with a report from Jee Y. Geronimo/Rappler.com