Gordon: Bohol mayor wants photo taken first in relief efforts

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon on Wednesday slammed Maribojoc Mayor Leoncio Evasco for allegedly politicking in the Bohol quake relief efforts.

Gordon said local officials' treatment of his team is unfair especially that Evasco only wanted to claim credit for himself.

"(There are) 37 bridges down, dapat magsama-sama tayo rito. Gusto ni Mayor may picture pa bago ibigay ang goods at gusto niya na siya ang magbigay," the former senator said in a radio interview Wednesday morning.

"Pinapaalis yung mga tao ko na medyo violent ang approach," Gordon added.

Main story: Red Cross, Bohol mayor in standoff

On Tuesday, Evasco reportedly drove away Red Cross team from distributing goods, which he saw as disruptive of local government's centralized distribution system. He also accused Red Cross volunteers for being arrogant.

"Para hindi maging complicated ang system namin in distributing the goods dapat well coordinated lahat para hindi magdoble-doble ang pagbibigay sa tao, tapos yung iba naman wala," he said in a separate radio interview.

Gordon, however, belied the accusations as his team, he said, is making sure the donations are not left lying without being distributed, as Evasco reportedly asked volunteers to do.

"Hindi kami nag-iiwan ng goods, 'pag may natira we give it to the most vulnerable ... Ibibigay namin ito direkta sa mga taong nangangailangan hindi kila Mayor," he said.

Meanwhile, Evasco also accused Gordon of using the organization to further his political ambitions.

"I am not against Red Cross as an organization. I am against some people in Red Cross who think they are gods. I am against some people of Red Cross who use the misery of other people to promote their own political agenda," Evasco said.

"I don't need enemies, I need friends at this time. But Gordon is a political animal, pinupulitika n'ya ang Red Cross," the town mayor added.

Taking wind of the bickering over the Bohol assistance efforts, netizens said Evasco should think of the people first before personal prejudices.

For refusing to hand over the distribution of relief goods a Red Cross team was driven away by a Bohol mayor. Red Cross hates epals.

— Cesar M de los Reyes (@Tito_Ces) October 23, 2013

"PRIDE is the last thing we need in times like this," Twitter user Ivan Villegas said.

"Mayor Leoncia Evasco Jr! I'm calling you out! How dare you put politics while your constituents suffer!" netizen John Exos Nulud also said.

Some also said Gordon is no different from Evasco.

"Parang si Gordon lang, umeepal photo opps bago mag distribute ng donation. Before, Red Cross Volunteers are humbly serving. Now kelangang may media at sya ang bida, hindi mga volunteer," Ligaya Zen Imperial said on Facebook.