Interior Secretary Mar Roxas finally broke his silence and gave broad hints that he would be running for president in the 2016 elections, a solon said on Wednesday.
In an interview, Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice said he was among the solons who met Roxas in his residence in Cubao, Quezon City, on Monday.
During the meeting, Roxas told them he would be campaigning with them in the next presidential elections, Erice said.
“Sinabi niya na mangangampanya na tayo at handa siyang ipagpatuloy ang nasimulan ng Aquino administration. Mas maliwanag pa sa sikat ng araw na tatakbo siya,” said Erice, a staunch supporter of Roxas for president within Liberal Party (LP).
Erice said Roxas was being prevented from announcing his presidential bid because of his duties as Department of Interior and Local Government secretary.
“We’re calling on him to declare as early as next month. But we give it to him kung kailan niya gusto,” Erice said.
Erice maintained that the party was courting as Roxas’ vice president Sen. Grace Poe, who had seen her popularity rise in presidential and vice presidential opinion polls.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said Roxas should declare his bid with or without President Benigno Aquino III’s blessing.
Roxas was LP’s presumptive presidential bet in 2010 until he gave way to then Senator Aquino following the death of the latter’s mother former President Corazon Aquino.
Aquino’s approval
“He can’t just say ‘I’ll do whatever the President says.’ He should make up his mind … I would not want that kind of president who can’t make up his mind. If I were Mar, I’m not going to wait for the President’s okay. If I get the President’s endorsement, then thank you,” Belmonte, an LP vice chair, said.
“Otherwise, I have to stand on my feet,” he added.
While Poe may be a brave contender in 2016, Belmonte maintained that Roxas remained the most experienced candidate, having gone through business, politics and Cabinet.
Belmonte commended Poe for sticking to the Senate report her committee prepared about the Mamasapano tragedy that claimed 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troopers’ lives in a botched antiterror raid in Maguindanao on Jan. 25.
Poe in the report said President Aquino was ultimately accountable over the tragedy.
“I like Mar and I admire him also because if you add up his abilities, you get his experience, ambition and vision. Bilib rin ako kay Grace. Magaling. May utak. Matalino at matapang pa,” said Belmonte, who had tagged Mar-Poe a difficult team to beat in 2016.
The administration party is scouting for the best tandem to beat long-time presidential aspirant Vice President Jejomar Binay, who led the latest presidential opinion polls.
Roxas, meanwhile, suffered dismally in the polls compared to Binay and Poe.
In the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) presidential survey, Poe saw her ranking improve from 21 percent to 31 percent, just five percentage points shy from Vice President Binay (36 percent from 37 percent) who remained in the lead. Roxas got a measly 15 percent of respondents, down from 19 percent.
Meanwhile, in the latest SWS vice presidential survey, Poe is the top pick with 26 percent of respondents, surpassing Roxas with 12 percent and Binay with seven percent. RC