Roxas denies planning to quit post to prepare for 2016 polls

INTERIOR Secretary Mar Roxas will not resign from his post to prepare for his presidential bid in 2016, at least for now, he said in a statement Monday.

“Maraming salamat sa lahat ng mayroon interes sa aking mga plano. Wala akong plano na mag-resign sa ngayon,” Roxas said.

“Ako ay nagsisilbi para sa daang matuwid at kay Pnoy (President Benigno Aquino III) na siyang timon nito. Hindi ko tatalikuran ang ano mang iaatas ni Pnoy para sa pagpapatuloy at pagpapalawak ng daang matuwid,” he added.

Roxas’ denial came after a newspaper report quoting reliable sources said that the head of the Department of the Interior and Local Government will step down from his post in June.

In the same report, Iloilo Rep. Jerry Trenas said the President will officially declare Roxas as the Liberal Party’s standard-bearer in the presidential elections before he delivers his last State of the Nation Address in July.

Roxas is expected to run against Vice President Jejomar Binay, his long-time political archrival. AC