More to run if Binay’s ratings dip further

Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines–More people will run for president in 2016 if the numbers of front runner Vice President Jejomar Binay continue to go down.

Sen. Francis Escudero bared this possible scenario in the race for the presidency on Wednesday, as Binay remained so far to be the only candidate to declare his bid for the top position of the land.

“I think that if Binay’s ratings continue to plunge and go down, he will no longer be as invincible like in the past, last year, more candidates will run for president, Escudero said at the weekly Kapihan sa Senado forum at the Senate.

But he said if Binay’s numbers improve and increase and it would he appear he was unbeatable, then only a few would go for the presidency.

Binay’s ratings—whether approval, trust or presidential preference—have been going down since last year when allegations of corruption came out against him in the Senate which has yet to conclude its investigation of alleged wrongdoing when he was still mayor of Makati City.

The Vice President had denied the allegations, claiming these were all politically motivated since he had early on declared he was eyeing the presidency in 2016.

The administration party, the Liberal Party is fielding Interior Secretary Mar Roxas—Binay’s rival—in the presidential race. While Roxas was said to have expressed interest to seek the presidency to Senate President Franklin Drilon, he had not yet made any formal announcement.

But there were also groups in the administration that want Sen. Grace Poe to run for president, since she has been closing in on Binay in the surveys.