Palace confirms Roxas endorsement, VP candidate unnamed

Mar Roxas. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

Malacañang on Thursday night confirmed that President Benigno Aquino III will endorse Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II during “A Gathering of Friends” at the Club Filipino in San Juan.

In a media advisory sent to Palace reporters, Malacañang described the following scenario for Friday morning:

Four people from different sectors will give their message, which will be followed by the “response of Aquino.”

“In the response, the President shall state his endorsement. After the response, DILG Sec. Roxas will deliver an acceptance message to the endorsement of the President,” the advisory said.

However, it did not mention the endorsement of a candidate for the vice presidency.

After their speeches, Aquino and Roxas will shake hands and Noel Cabangon will perform a song.

At least 500 people, from different political parties and civil society are expected to attend the event.

Senate President Franklin Drilon and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, both Liberal Party stalwarts, will be among the political leaders who will receive the president at the Cory Aquino Kalayaan Hall in Club Filipino.

For days, LP members have been saying that Aquino is sure to endorse Roxas, who was his running mate in the 2010 elections.

READ: LP solon: Aquino to officially endorse Roxas ‘before week’s end’  | Aquino close to endorsing Roxas as his anointed 

Roxas, who, in the 2010 national elections, was initially the LP’s presidential bet, gave way to Aquino when he was catapulted to the presidential race after his mother Cory Aquino’s death.

However, despite being the perceived standard bearer of the LP and its coalition allies, Roxas has for a time been overshadowed by the popularity of Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senator Grace Poe, who have led the election surveys.

During the past weeks, Aquino met with Roxas and Poe, as well as Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero. Poe and Escudero have expressed the possibility of running as independent candidates for president and vice president, respectively. But Aquino said he wanted the coalition, which included Escudero and Poe, to remain intact.

Poe later said that he won’t be surprised if Aquino endorses Roxas because of their political affiliation.

READ: Poe: I won’t be surprised if Aquino endorses Roxas