A solon has said she is impressed at Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II’s patriotism that he is willing to give up his presidential ambitions in 2010 to give then Sen. Benigno Aquino III a chance to start his reform agenda.
In a statement, Youth Against Crime and Corruption (Yacap) Rep. Carol Jayne Lopez says Roxas’ being tried and tested in giving way for the greater good is his strength in character.
“That is simply strength of character going way beyond politics, that Secretary Mar loves this country more than himself has been proven to all of us in 2010,” Lopez said.
Roxas was the Liberal Party’s presumed presidential bet in 2010 until he gave way to then Senator Aquino following the death of the latter’s mother former President Corazon Aquino.
Roxas is again LP’s presumed presidential candidate in 2016 but has been faring poorly in the voters’ preference polls. He is believed to be in danger of being overtaken again as President Aquino is talking with two other strong contenders—neophyte Sen. Grace Poe and Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero.
It is believed that Aquino wants Poe, who led the latest presidential survey surpassing Vice President Jejomar Binay, to be Roxas’ vice president and add some sheen to the unpopular Roxas. It remains to be seen if it is Roxas who will give way to Poe.
Lopez says she has seen the support for Roxas’ presidency in 2016.
“When I go around with him, shaking hands and consulting with the barangay folks, he feels the support of the people for the 2016 election. The voters want continuity of social programs, that is clear, they are wary of yet another disruption or distraction if the next president would take off to a different path,” Lopez said.
But even if the support for Roxas is there, Lopez says she believes Roxas has learned the value of sacrifice that goes beyond party loyalty and friendship.
“I have personally seen a stronger resolve from Secretary Mar, and he says this time his sacrifices would be patriotic. That his sacrifices this time would go beyond friendship and party loyalty. He says his sacrifices this time would be for his loyalty to the Filipino people, the kind of loyalty he has learned the past six years after giving way in 2010,” Lopez said.
Aquino sat down Roxas, Poe and Escudero in a casual dinner at his official residence on Wednesday night supposedly in a bid to discuss the administration coalition’s teamup in 2016. In an interview, Roxas told the media that he was tried and tested in making sacrifices.
“Sacrifice? I think you should not be asking me about that because my track record will clearly show my capability to sacrifice and give way for a bigger objective in pursuing ‘daang matuwid (straight path),’” Roxas said.