Aquino names Mar of the hour
Most prepared
Former Sen. Wigberto Tañada described Roxas as the “most prepared to be the next President because of his knowledge, his experience, his commitment as a public servant.”
“He is clean and honest, so I think he is the most deserving of our support as our next President,” he said.
He said symbols derived from the Aquino campaign should help boost Roxas standing with the public.
“By wearing yellow, it shows the values we continue to plant in the consciousness of our people: Honesty, cleanliness, courage, firmness, and integrity,” Tañada said.
Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone noted that Roxas’ campaign color used to be blue.
Article continues after this advertisement“But now, we’re talking about continuity, so it’s hard to change colors,” he said.
Article continues after this advertisementEvardone said the campaign wished to avoid a repeat of the 1992 presidential election when the candidate of the dominant party, the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, Ramon Mitra, lost to Fidel V. Ramos.
Ramos was endorsed by President Corazon Aquino, who resisted tremendous pressure from the ruling party in making her choice.
“Now, the difference is that we’re the dominant party, and the President is in the dominant party, and he has endorsed Mar,” Evardone said.
MAKE YOUR MAMA PROUD Roxas clan matriarch Judy Araneta-Roxas is a picture of maternal pride after President Aquino declared all-out support for her son, Mar Roxas, in the 2016 presidential election. GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
Formidable task
Sen. Ralph Recto said Roxas’ task ahead of him was formidable.
“He has to show he is better than the President and better than all other candidates. People want more. You cannot be just equal to or less than [the person you’re trying to replace]. He should be greater than President Aquino,” he said.
Recto said Roxas did not need to try to erase his image as an “elitist.” “Maybe he just needs more exposure. There’s a possibility he will endear himself to the public again,” he said.
Social activist Leah Navarro, a campaigner for Mr. Aquino and now for Roxas, said she believed the Aquino magic should do wonders for the Roxas candidacy.
‘Yellow has always been the color since 2009, since the campaign began. I think the symbolism here is not that Mar is adopting the color, but that it has been his color,” she said.
“In the fifth year of the Aquino administration, we have to show we are in the same boat. That’s the story,” she said.
Even retired policemen, including classmates of sacked Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima, threw their support for the presidential run of Roxas.
Former PNP Deputy Director General Felipe Rojas Jr. said he believed Roxas was the most capable among the politicians who had expressed their interest to seek the presidency in the 2016 elections.
For retired PNP Director Cipriano Querol Jr., Roxas was the best man to continue the gains of President Aquino’s reform program.
Rojas and Querol were both classmates of Purisima, one of the President’s closest friends in the government who became Roxas’ critics, in the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1981.
They were among several former PNP officials who attended the President’s formal endorsement of Roxas as his successor.
Closer to the goal
“Many of us in the uniformed service want to see the continuation of the straight path of President Aquino. I think the endorsement of Secretary Roxas was a step closer toward attaining that goal,” Querol said.
While there was no formal organization, Rojas said a number of retired policemen and even military officials had voiced out their support for Roxas.
“I believe in the competence and efficiency of Secretary Roxas as a leader. He applied business principles to improve the police service,” Rojas said.
Besides Querol and Rojas, retired PNP Director Carmelo Valmoria, the former chief of the Metro Manila police, and former Chief Supt. Jojo Angan, Roxas’ former chief aide, were also seen at the event dubbed “A Gathering of Friends.”
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