MANILA, Philippines 鈥� President Rodrigo Duterte admitted failure to solve traffic along Edsa but blamed Congress for not granting him the emergency powers needed to fix the thoroughfare鈥檚 problems.
In a speech in Bi帽an Laguna on Saturday, Duterte said that he fulfilled most of his promises before the nation, except easing the traffic situation in Edsa.
鈥淲ala akong pangako na hindi ko natupad except 鈥榶ang Edsa,鈥� he said.
鈥淣angako ako na free tuition, nandiyan na ang batas. Nangako ako na free universal health care, pirmado ko na ang batas. Ano pa naman gusto? Iyong Pantawid, sabi ko itutuloy ko. Saan kukunin 鈥榶an? Nandiyan sa TRAIN lahat 鈥榶an,鈥� he added.
However, he said that it was the fault of the Congress for not giving him the emergency powers in order to solve the traffic woes in the said major highway.
According to him, unlike former Presidents Cory Aquino and Fidel Ramos, he was not given 鈥渆xtraordinary powers鈥� due to impending corruption issues.
鈥淎ko naman sabi ko, hindi ko sinabing walang bidding. I said I would need money to repair or rehabilitate or do away with the present situation. Sabi ng iba, mga congressmen, 鈥楲et us give Duterte the power, extraordinary power.鈥� Hindi ninyo narinig 鈥榶un sa bunganga ko ni minsan, kasi alam ko. Kasi alam ko,鈥� Duterte said.
鈥淪o 聽anong narinig ko sa 鈥� sa Congress? Hindi sila. 鈥楢h, hindi pwede 鈥榯o baka, you know, ang graft and corruption papasok dito.鈥� Eh sabi ko nung narinig ko 鈥� hindi, it鈥檚 off. Take away it from the table. Ayaw ko. Sa umpisa walang nag鈥� Kung nag-iistorya ka ng corruption, ay p i**, inyo na 鈥榶an,鈥� Duterte added.
鈥淜aya ang Edsa hanggang ngayon, 鈥榶an, wala akong magawa. Pero never did I ask money na sabihin na walang bidding-bidding,鈥� he added. /je