LP in panic mode over candidate, says lawmaker

The Liberal Party (LP) is in “panic mode,” painting President Aquino into a corner to force him to endorse Interior Secretary Mar Roxas for president next year.

Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora said LP leaders should allow Aquino to make his choice amid reports he was leaning toward Sen. Grace Poe, a non-LP member.

“The ruling party is panicking, especially about the possibility that the President may not endorse its first choice,” said Zamora in a text message to the Inquirer.

“My unsolicited advice: Help the LP members’ choice improve his poll ratings by talking about his qualities and qualifications, rather than painting the President into a corner that he did not choose. In short, don’t put the President in a box. That will not work. Just help your candidates,” said Zamora.

The San Juan representative made the comment after LP members were quoted as saying that Aquino would only choose an LP member as his candidate and that he had already mobilized the ruling party to work for the candidacy of Roxas.

Aquino has not clearly indicated his choice for 2016 even as he has publicly praised Roxas, met twice with Poe and is scheduled to meet with Sen. Francis Escudero in the coming days.

Zamora is a member of the Nacionalista Party, and an executive secretary in the Estrada administration and an assistant executive secretary for legal affairs in the Marcos administration. He is a brother of businessman Salvador “Buddy” Zamora, one of the biggest financial contributors of Roxas in the 2010 campaign.

His other brother, Manuel “Manny” Zamora, is also a major political campaign financier who supported former Sen. Manuel Villar in the 2010 presidential elections.

Meddling by nonparty member

Roxas’ backers in the LP were slighted by what they felt was meddling by a nonparty member.

LP secretary general and Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento dismissed Zamora’s statement as “propaganda.”

“As far as I am concerned, members of the LP will be one in supporting the choice of the President. I don’t think the members of the minority have no commitment to support our candidate,” said Iloilo Rep. Jerry Treñas of the LP.

“It is only in the Philippines that the minority is so concerned about the presidential choice of the administration as if the choice is also their candidate,” added Treñas.

Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice said Zamora’s views were far from reality.

“Knowing the President, no one can pin him in a corner. It’s simple, we will not choose somebody on the basis of ratings but qualities and capability to provide continuity of good governance. The President and the LP share this vision,” said Erice.

Poe has emerged close to the top of a recent survey of presidential preferences, while Roxas has hardly improved his ranking. His backers, however, are confident that Roxas would rise in the surveys once he declares his bid for president.