Transcript of Mar Roxas’s Interview On NAIA Tanim Bala

Rappler recently issued an apology to Roxas because “the quote did not fully represent his position on a sensitive issue”.

marroxasquotablesHowever, after watching a youtube video of what is claimed to be the more complete video footage of Mar Roxas’ interview in Isabela Province regarding the tanim bala or laglag bala extortion racket at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, it seems to me Rappler was being sly about its apology and was actually saying, “were sorry that you said something that will make people hate you more.”

Below is a transcript of the interview with English translation and notes.

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Note: The video footage begins with Roxas presumably already answering a question that was not recorded.

Roxas: Malinaw dito ano, hindi policy ng pamahalaan, hindi policy ng daang matuwid ang magsamantala at gumawa ng pangongotong… ang maglaglag droga, laglag bala, laglag kahit ano sa ating mga kababayan.

(It is clear that it is not the policy of government, it is not the policy of The Straight Path to take advantage of and commit extortion… to plant drugs, plant bullets, plant anything on our countrymen.)

Ang policy natin ang matuwid, matapat at maayos na pamamahala, kung meron mang gumagawa nito, kahit naka uniporme pa sila, dapat lamang na maparusahan, masuspindi, matanggal sa serbisyo.

(The policy is straight, trustworthy, and orderly governance, if there are people who do otherwise, even if they are in uniform, it is just right for them to be punished, suspended, taken out of service.)

Ang mahalaga dito eh magpatuloy ang tiwalang pinagkakaloob ng mga kababayan sa kanilang mga kinauukulan, sa kanilang pamahalaan.

(What is important is for our countrymen to continue trusting those they are referring to and the government.)

Ang pamahalaan nila ay kasangga nila, at hindi pinagmulan pa o sanhi ng perwisyo sa kanila…

(The government is their ally and not there to be the cause of their problems.)

Note: Assuming that the preceding question was about the bullet planting extortion racket, it seems Mr. Roxas has taken the liberty to dish out the straight path dogma first before anything else. It comes across as patronizing, as if people DO NOT KNOW and HAVE to be told that the government is on their side. Then again, perhaps the people INDEED have to be told because everyday reality contradicts Roxas’ straight path incantation.

Question: “Who should take responsibility?”

Roxas: Yes, I think what is important… anyway, aaah…

Note: At this point, Roxas shakes his head and seems to have an irked or annoyed tone of voice as well as facial expression.

Question: “Sino dapat mag-take ng responsibility?

Roxas: Eh, hindi eh, kung nagpasok ka ng contraband sa airport, paano naging problema yun ng gobyerno yun?

(No. If people bring in contraband into the airport, how is that the government’s problem?)

Note: Still sounding annoyed, this is where it becomes clear that Roxas is working on the assumption that people are purposely bringing in contraband or illegal items inside the airport and the assumption that reports of bullet planting extortion incidents were merely MADE-UP.

“unintelligible question”

Hindi! Ang damage… ang damage sa industriya natin dapat ilagay natin sa konteksto, kung sino ba talaga ang nagpapasok nitong mga kontraband na ito. Kung meron naman talaga na nagpasok nitong contraband sa mga paliparan natin, eh diba tama lamang na nahuli sila ng pamahalaan.

(No. The damage… the damage to our industry should be put into the context, who brought in the contraband. If there are people who brought contraband into our airport, isn’t it just right that the government caught them?)

Note: This is where Roxas’ assumption that people are bringing in contraband inside the airport.

Taken all together, it is clear — at least to me — that Roxas statements in Isabela regarding the tanim bala or laglag bala incidents at NAIA shows that the Liberal Party comes first before the citizens of this country.

22 Replies to “Transcript of Mar Roxas’s Interview On NAIA Tanim Bala”

  1. The question is simple but he can’t even answer straight to the point and has the right to be irked? FUCK YOU Mar

  2. Not a big fan of Mar Roxas,the LP or any other leeches in government but don’t you think it’s about time to stop pointing fingers and throwing rocks? No matter who becomes President,as long as the system of graft,corruption and they underlying problems within Philippine governance and society still exist,I don’t see a solution in 2016 or in the years after…Change must happen.Not just with government,politics or society but the Filipino masses as a whole for do they not constitute the majority of voters who choose those persons getting elected to public office? They need to be educated with regards to how to select suitable candidates who are competent and abide by standards of morality,ethics and integrity but that’s just wishful thinking I guess…

  3. Working for my current employer ,whoever answers like that, unsure, beating around the bush, will get his ass kicked and fired. This kind of people should experience what it’s like to work in the private sector, not as the boss. And then we will see if they still deserve to even run for the highest post in the land.

    It is clear how he is so detached from the real purpose and role of the government to its people. This guy does not deserve even the slightest chance at any government position. Filipinos, wake up!

  4. This Man(?) is going to the President of the country ? LOL, he should not even be allowed to be a ‘dog-catcher’. Obviously an incompetent imbecile. Only a dullard could possibly vote for this weasel.

  5. There was a song written and composed by the American singer: Bob Dylan, called: “Blowing in the Wind”…a part of it, runs like this:

    “How many times, must a person turn
    his head. Pretending, he just does’nt
    see.”

    “The answer my friend is Blowing in the wind.
    The answer is blowing in the wind”…

    Mar Roxas still refuse to accept, that there is a problem in the NAIA. Of a scam/extortion syndicate, doing :”lag lag bala”…

    He points the problem to the innocent victims.There are already many cases. And, the extortion/scam is flashed in almost all Media , thruout the world.

    They are telling people, to avoid travelling to the Philippines. Because, there is a scam/extortion syndicate operating in the airport.

    You cannot solve this problem; if you are part of the problem.

    Is Rappler.com, the spokesMedia of Mar Roxas?

    1. 67Hyden007Toro99.9999 @
      Need fundrasing for mar campaign because the Yolanda fund already run out. Like Pnoy blaming GMA, He blame Nognog of demolition job to current admininstartion.

  6. Just to clarify this and to enlighten you Mr.Roxas,People who travel to the Philippines go through a more secure screening process in the airports they come from,with higher technology.They DO NOT bring those bullets in their luggage,they DO NOT have guns in their luggage to put those bullets in,they DO NOT carry those bullets because they are aware of the risks it could pose on them and their travels.YOUR airport personnel in NAIA ARE THE ONES WHO PLANT THEM in unsuspecting travelers,using fear to extract money from them.Therefore,IT IS YOUR GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSIBILITY TO DO A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION AND REMOVE THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS.

  7. HARI NG SABLAY
    (mga sagot, decision, at diskarte)

    MAR ROXAS – is one of the most EPAL, Palpak, & Sablay politicians – who consistently attract people’s/voter’s attention either by doing a layman work (always w/ a camera) or by the response he makes in many interviews. Mar often failed to show his vision, wit and understanding of the problem. Mar can’t even capitalize on his wide exposures/experiences (as a former Senator, DTI, DOTC, and DILG Secretary) or failed to acquire and use knowledge, skills, capabilities & qualifications to LEAD.

    His excellent education in US? and various work Experience/Exposure should have taught him more to be observant, improved his imagination/vision, analytical thinking, creativity, common sense and learned to be more sensitive. But, instead he chose to be a complete clone (copy cat) & puppet of PNoy and failed to see (disconnected/disattached) their own failures and real condition and problems of nation. He was also the main endorser (nag-sulsul) why PNoy decided to run for President.

    Mar’s involvement in various position he held resulted to nothing and clearly left behind a zero Legacy. Mar Roxas decisions & statements are all or sablay in many occasions such as:

    1. DOTC – remains to be dysfunctional and corrupt. (perinial problems MRT, traffic, plate no., Airport Laglag Bala, etc.).

    2. DILG lack of preparation prior to Typhoon Yolanda, slow response and mis-handling of rehabilitation of Tacloban.

    “You are a Romualdez, the President is an Aquino”

    https://youtu.be/g_oxV8ylgOI
    https://youtu.be/GsOOSejtJ9U
    https://youtu.be/i88250xlCo4

    3. Excluded by BS Aquino from Oplan Exodus mission of SAF of the PNP which is under his jurisdiction as DILG secretary.

    “Naligaw ang SAF at nagkaroon ng misencounter with MILF forces!”

    1. Dale Jose Gozar@
      In my conclusion that Mar planted that SAF misencounter and went failed asked abnoy to take the responsibilities.

  8. Kinda reminded me of Pacquiao interviews after fight, those times when Pacman still don’t understand the questions because it’s in English but he’d answer anyway. Pacman is aliw though. Mar disaster.

  9. LORD I’m begging you HWAG nyo po hayaan maging presidente tong taeng ganito mag isip!! PLEASE lord maawa po kau s bansang pilipinas!

    1. Abigail Ventura @
      The buck stop at Mar not abnoy..He is enjoying the campaign w/o a single centavo spend, He is a smart guy, where is the yolanda fund and what the fuck laglag bala for and where is the paid money from NAIA victims( Siguro ay walang resibo)

  10. he can’t answer the question because the government has done nothing to correct this problem, he is pushing on the “daang matuwid” pero hindi naman nila ma implement

  11. ahhhh…now i see why even after months, the tanim bala hasn’t been completely resolved. because that was where his coming from. that people really bring in these “contrabands”..uhm even an old househelp woman ….where as in the new administration they see this issue as a form of extortion and within a week ordered to stop holding those people with ‘bala’ from leaving the country and instead just confiscate it and just record the incident. If this is the directive..no matter how much bullets they plant, they will no longer be able to extort. what the previous admin lingered to solve in months, the new admin solve in a week

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