Palace: Roxas leaving Cabinet a given

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas will resign sooner than later to avoid being accused of using his Cabinet job to boost his presidential candidacy, Malacañang said Saturday.

President Benigno Aquino III picked Roxas as his administration’s presidential candidate in next year’s general elections, announcing his choice at a gathering of Liberal Party (LP) members and their allies on Friday.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on Saturday that Roxas’ resignation from the Cabinet “is a given.”

“He will not stay in office to be accused of using his position. Certainly, he will not do that,” Valte said on government-run Radyo ng Bayan.

Preparing to go

Valte said Roxas was “actually preparing” for the transition to whoever would succeed him at the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Roxas’ critics do not have to ask for his resignation, Valte said.

“[Resigning) is in the plan of Secretary Roxas,” she said.

A replacement for Roxas at the DILG has yet to be found.

“There are names being floated but we don’t have confirmation. When the announcement is made, we of course will let you (the press) know,” Valte said.

Poll ratings

Roxas needs to work hard to improve his poll standing. He is currently running third, behind Vice President Jejomar Binay and junior Sen. Grace Poe in the Social Weather Stations poll and fourth, behind Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, in the Pulse Asia survey.

LP leaders say, however, that President Aquino’s endorsement will considerably improve Roxas’ poll ratings.

Mr. Aquino has expressed confidence that Roxas is qualified to lead the country despite the latter’s survey numbers.