TUBIGON, Bohol—Liberal Party presidential standard bearer Mar Roxas continues to cast doubt on the authenticity of the reported endorsement by the Nationalist People’s Coalition of the candidacy of rival Sen. Grace Poe and her running mate, Sen. Francis Escudero.
“It was not a party stand,” Roxas said, claiming that certain NPC members had called him to say that it was not the party stand and that they had not been consulted.
He said it would be better for the media to directly ask party members if they were indeed supporting Poe as claimed by some NPC leaders.
“The important thing is that NPC members themselves are asking, ‘What kind of endorsement is this?’ They’re saying that they were not consulted,” Roxas said while on a campaign sortie here.
“Maybe some (NPC) members are supporting a certain candidate while others are for the Daang Matuwid (straight path) coalition, including those who have already issued a statement,” he said.
While he did not want to interfere with the NPC’s internal processes, Roxas said many NPC members had called him and informed him that “they were not consulted” about the party’s supposed endorsement of the Poe-Escudero team.
“There are many NPC members who have called to say that they solidly believe and support (our coalition) in their respective areas,” Roxas said.
“I don’t want to interfere with the dynamics of another party, but what I’m saying is the truth,” he said.
Roxas, President Aquino’s anointed successor, and his running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, were here yesterday as part of a four-town sortie in the province.
According to Roxas, Isabela Gov. Faustino Dy III, the NPC chair, and his brother, Isabela Rep. John Dy, had assured him of their support.
He said another key NPC member, South Cotabato Rep. Pedro Acharon, had also told him that he would back his presidential bid.
Roxas recalled that the NPC president, Isabela Rep. Giorgigi Aggabao, had announced in a news conference last year that the NPC was officially throwing its support for Poe and Escudero, only to clarify a few days later that the party had yet to come up with such a decision.