MANILA - A Palace spokesman on Monday denied reports that President Aquino had walked out a disaster council meeting in Tacloban out of frustration. http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/11/10/13/pnoy-walks-out-disaster-meeting-out-frustration Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said he talked to Assistant Secretary Rey Marfil who denied that Aquino was angry after receiving reports of the devastation in Leyte, particularly in Tacloban, where thousands are now feared dead after the onslaught of super typhoon Yolanda. "Hindi po siya (PNoy) nagalit. Nag-break lang po siya," he said. Lacierda said Aquino took a bathroom break while local officials were talking to officials of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council about the discrepancy of figures in the number of casualties. He said Aquino told those in the meeting: "Mag break muna tayo." A local official earlier said the number of dead in the disaster-hit areas could reach as high as 10,000 while national government figures are still in the hundreds. http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/11/11/13/yolanda-kills-estimated-10000 A radio DZMM report said Aquino had a disagreement with a businessman who first asked that the government already declare martial law or a state of emergency. Aquino supposedly explained that the government is already looking at options to help in the recovery of Leyte. During Monday's press briefing, Lacierda said the government is still studying the option of declaring a state of emergency after the devastation brought by the super typhoon. He said he is hoping that the number of fatalities would not reach 10,000. "We are certainly hoping it will not be that big," he said.
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