MALAYBALAY CITY, Philippines–Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II is still hoping Sen. Grace Poe will accept his offer to run as his vice president in the 2016 elections as he dismissed recent comments from Vice President Jejomar Binay’s camp which said that he was only being nice to the lady senator.
United Nationalist Alliance spokesperson Mon Ilagan on Thursday questioned why Roxas was defending Poe on her citizenship issue, maintaining that the senator is a Filipino. He said Roxas “cannot really afford to offend the good senator” as the two are still in courting period.
“I am not responsible for what Vice President Binay says. Let him be responsible for that,” Roxas told reporters at the sidelines of the People’s Dialogue at Bukidnon State University in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.
“I only say what’s on my mind. I am very straightforward. I have no other agenda,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.
Roxas, who had recently been endorsed by President Benigno Aquino III as his successor and standard-bearer of the ruling Liberal Party, is still waiting for Poe’s decision whether she would join LP as Roxas’ Vice President or gun for presidency and team up with Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero.
Although a meeting between Poe and Roxas is underway, the meeting has no schedule yet.
In an earlier interview in Cebu City, Roxas said he believes that Poe is a Filipino; that’s why he invited the senator to run alongside him in the 2016 national elections.
On Friday, Roxas is scheduled to visit Davao City to attend a Mayors’ league event and a multisectoral dialogue with civil society groups.
Asked if Roxas still considers Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte as an alternative for Poe, he said: “Mayor Digong and I are friends and according to him, he has no interest in running for higher office.”
But despite being reluctant to heed the call for him to run for either president or vice president, Duterte’s close aide disclosed that the mayor would definitely run for higher office. However, Christopher Go, Duterte’s executive assistant of 17 years, said he was not certain on what position.