‘LP to build up Roxas rather than rely on Poe’

The Liberal Party (LP) will continue its efforts to bolster the chances of Interior Secretary Mar Roxas in 2016, even as it looks for a new running mate for him, according to Senate President Franklin Drilon.

Drilon, the LP’s vice chair, earlier advised the party to stop pursuing Sen. Grace Poe to be the vice presidential running mate of Roxas as he was convinced she would run for the presidency as indicated by her recent actions.

Drilon, in a radio interview on Saturday, said the LP was not counting on Poe to boost Roxas’ chances.

“We do not rely on Sen. Grace Poe, with all due respect, to strengthen Secretary Mar,” Drilon said when asked how the LP could boost Roxas’ chances without Poe.

“We will really focus on strengthening [Roxas]. That has been our objective from the very start, we need to build up our candidate rather than rely on anybody,” he said.

It is believed that there were some in the LP who were of the opinion that recruiting Poe to be Roxas’ running mate could help improve his “winnability,” as the junior senator has been topping the recent voter preference surveys.

Drilon did not go into details about the LP’s strategy for Roxas, but he said the party would present to voters Roxas’ policy of continuing the “daang matuwid” (straight path) governance of the Aquino administration.

“[It would be] more on that rather than personalities. Secretary Roxas, indisputably, will continue this principle,” he added.

Drilon said that rather than looking at one survey, it was important to consider the trend in a candidate’s numbers.

An upward trajectory over several surveys is a good thing, while a decline or a plateau in one’s numbers would be a bad sign, he said.

“An increase in your survey [ratings], even if in small increments as long as it’s upward, that is better. You must see the trend, if there is one. What is bad is a downward trend,” he said.

Roxas has yet to take the lead in Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations surveys of voters’ preferred presidential candidates—where he has placed third or fourth—but his numbers have been improving.

The LP believes President Benigno Aquino III’s official endorsement of Roxas as his successor would help improve his acceptability with voters.

In a survey commissioned by the party, Roxas emerged as No. 1 in a one-on-one race with Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Poe was not included in the survey because she has yet to officially declare her candidacy, unlike Roxas and Binay.

Drilon said there was still enough time to select a running mate for Roxas and build a strong LP ticket.

While some of those suggested as his running mate had expressed reluctance at running for vice president, he noted that a week was a long time in politics and many things could still happen.