LAGUNA, Philippines – Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, the ruling party’s standard-bearer in the 2016 elections, dismissed on Friday, Augsut 7, allegations that he would be using his position to further his campaign.

His track record, he said, speaks for itself.

“Whoever these people are, I think wala naman kaming track record. Wala akong track record na pinupulitika ko ang aking tanggapan. Sa kabila ng lahat nitong mga anonymous, unknown na mga paratang na ito, kita naman ninyo lahat ng partido merong fire truck,” said Roxas on the sidelines of the distribution of 80 brand new fire trucks to 55 provinces in the country.

(I don’t have that kind of track record. I don’t have a track record of bringing politics into my department. Despite these anonymous, unknown accusations, you see for yourself that everyone, regardless of political affiliations, gets a fire truck.)

As chief of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Roxas oversees the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and has supervision over local governments in the country.

On July 31, Roxas was officially endorsed by President Benigno Aquino III as the administration’s presidential candidate for 2016.

He tendered his resignation the Monday after, but this has not been accepted by the President pending the appointment and transition to a new department chief.

The political opposition had earlier raised alarm over Roxas’ supposed use of government resources to further his political plans. It was a claim dismissed by both Roxas and the Palace.

The 80 fire trucks are the first delivery from a batch of 469 trucks procured by the BFP – 224 with 1,000-gallon capacities, and the rest with 500-gallon capacities.

The delivery of the trucks, Roxas explained, was delayed by a temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by a court but was not followed by an injunctions.

“Sige-sige na ang deliveries at kung ano man ang na-deliver na ay ngayon, ipinamahagi sa iba’t ibang fire stations dahil hindi naman nakakatulong ang firetrucks na ito kung nasa garahe lang sila,” Roxas told reporters.

(The deliveries will continue and whatever can be delivered now are being distributed to the different fire stations because keeping them in the garage won’t be of any help.)

Presidential spokesperson Secretary Edwin Lacierda earlier explained that before Roxas formally steps down, he needs to transition the department’s programs, including the distribution of new fire trucks and new police patrol cars. – Rappler.com