MAY 25 (Eagle News) — Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II is still “at the top of the list” of presidential candidates in so far as President Aquino’s coalition is concerned, according to President Aquino himself, but noted that consultations are still being made before he makes an announcement late July.
“To my mind, as far as our coalition is concerned, he (Roxas) is at the top of the list. Now, we are still undergoing a lot of consultations and we will have a consensus. And there might be a little more delay when we announce, probably after the SONA (State of the Nation Address), who we will be endorsing but we just want this dialogue to be as thorough and encompassing as possible with all the sectors that are involved in the coalition,” he said during an interview with members of the Malacañang Press Corps following the Brigada Eskwela and Oplan Balik Eskwela 2015, held at the Marikina Elementary School in Marikina City.
The President said he is surprised at reports that suggest that Secretary Roxas is not being considered as the Liberal Party’s standard-bearer.
“I find it strange na, bakit ganoon? He has demonstrated quite a wide range of expertise in so many different assignments. He is a valuable member of the Cabinet. He has been a staunch leader of the party, even during the days that we were in the opposition. And kumbaga, he has demonstrated, even the ability to sacrifice. Previously, for instance, when he gave way to me,” he said.
In September 2009, then senator Roxas, who was also president of the Liberal Party, withdrew his presidential candidacy to make way for Aquino to become the party’s standard-bearer, agreeing instead to run as the latter’s vice president.
When asked if Vice President Jejomar Binay is still “the man to beat in the 2016 presidential elections,” the President said, “The impression has been that he has been at the forefront of the challenge as we look at all of the surveys. But at the same time, I think that question rests on his ability to be able to answer all of the allegations that he is being confronted with at this present time.”
Before the statement, the president had also met with Senator Grace Poe, but it was not clear what the President woulc choose Poe to be the party’s standard bearer. He hinted that he was open to the possibility of Poe running in tandem with Interior Secretary Roxas, who is widely believed to be the Liberal Party’s candidate for the 2016 presidential elections. (with a PND report)