Liberal Party and President Aquino will not wait “forever” for Sen. Grace Poe to say yes to a tandem with standard-bearer Interior Secretary Mar Roxas in the 2016 elections, according to Malacañang. JEOFFREY MAITEM/INQUIRER PHOTO
Until when will President Benigno Aquino III and Liberal Party (LP) wait for Sen. Grace Poe to say yes to a tandem with standard-bearer Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II?
Definitely not forever, according to Malacañang.
“Totoo naman, wala namang forever (It’s true, there is no such thing as forever),” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told Malacañang reporters in jest on Wednesday, using the popular Filipino phrase often used to pertain to affairs of the heart.
But “at the moment,” Lacierda said, “we are still hoping that Sen. Grace Poe would consider being the copilot of Secretary Mar Roxas.”
Lacierda said the administration was “agnostic” about the other potential candidates as they awaited Poe’s decision.
“We are still hoping that Sen. Grace Poe would look into (it) and consider being vice president of the tandem with Mar Roxas,” he said.
However, Lacierda said they could not give a date or deadline for Poe.
“I cannot answer (that),” he said.
READ: Aquino says he’s still ‘pining’ for Grace Poe | Mar Roxas will wait for Grace Poe
Earlier in the day, LP spokesperson and Quezon Rep. Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III reportedly attended the “Leni Robredo for Vice President Movement” launch. He was quoted as saying that LP could not wait for Poe indefinitely.
The movement, composed of civil society groups, was formed in case Poe turned down Roxas’ invitation to become his running mate.
Poe has expressed her interest to run for higher office, possibly in tandem with Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero who is also an independent candidate, but she has yet to publicly announce her plans.
Aquino earlier asked Roxas, Poe and Escudero to meet with him and discuss the future of his reform agenda.
Asked about Poe’s comment that those asking her to consider running for a lower position should consider the same for their candidates, Lacierda said: “The daang matuwid torch has been passed to Secretary Mar Roxas and in the estimation, in the view of the President, Secretary Mar Roxas will be the best person to lead, to continue daang matuwid.” IDL/RC