Plenty of time to choose Roxas’ running mate, says Aquino

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III. AP FILE PHOTO

There is still time to “introduce” Interior Secretary Mar Roxas’ running mate—whoever it might be, President Aquino said on Thursday.

Asked if time was running out for choosing a vice presidential candidate for Roxas, Aquino said: “No, at the end of the day, aren’t the elections still in May?”

The President paid an unexpected visit to the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) headed by presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda to greet the staff and hand out Australian chocolates, Violet Crumble.

Lacierda said the PCDSPO staff was surprised to see the President suddenly walk into their office. After the initial shock, the staff members—mostly millennials—rushed up to the President and asked for a group photo.

Also there to welcome Aquino were Undersecretaries Abigail Valte and Manolo Quezon.

The PCDSPO is on the third floor of the New Executive Building, which houses the press office on the ground floor.

A handful of reporters were able to interview the President, since most had left after 5 p.m.

Aquino told the reporters all discussions on Roxas’ running mate would be completed by October, the month the certificates of candidacies would be filed.

The President was also asked if he would still be meeting with Sen. Grace Poe, whom the administration has been wooing to be its vice presidential candidate.

Aquino said there was no scheduled meeting with Poe as yet.

“I think we have all given our respective views. We have said it already, and like I said, the lines are still open but there is no formal meeting,” he said.

The President said it was Roxas who should be asked about Poe.

“I’m now just the great assistant,” he said in Filipino.

On speculations his Cabinet was not solidly behind the candidacy of Roxas, Aquino said he did not dictate on his alter egos and neither should they on him.

“We don’t dictate on each other. We also follow consensus building. But on reports like that, it’s the political season. Allegations can be made. At the end of the day, is there proof?” the President said.

He also did not want to comment on “nonsensical allegations” like those made by the camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay which said that part of the 2016 national budget would be used to fund Roxas’ presidential campaign.

Aquino said his style of governance had always been transparent and pointed to websites like the government’s Pera ng Bayan where the public could check how public funds were used.

“If we will be dishonest, it will be so easy to check. So sorry, but honestly I don’t want to comment on a nonsensical allegation like that,” Aquino said.