Even without Grace, admin coalition will have strongest ticket in 2016 – Mar

The administration coalition will have the strongest ticket for the 2016 elections despite Senator Grace Poe’s rejection of the Liberal Party’s (LP’s) offer for her to run as vice presidential candidate, administration standard bearer Mar Roxas said.

“Be rest assured that Daang Matuwid will have the strongest ticket in the coming elections because our ticket is not much on personality,” said Roxas.

Poe, the adopted daughter of popular action star Fernando Poe Jr. and veteran actress Susan Roces, has opted to take a different path.

“Ang ticket po ng Daang Matuwid ay ang tinutungtungan ng ating programa na ngayon ay masasabi ng ating mga kababayan ay nararamdaman na nila,” said Roxas.

“Kung hindi man naisasakatu-paran na ang ating mga pangarap ay nasisimulan na, na maramdaman ang katas or ang bunga ng ating pagtahak sa Daang Matuwid,” he added.

Both Aquino and Roxas have been wooing Poe to be the LP’s vice presidential candidate, apparently due to the popularity of the latter who even beat Vice President Jejomar C. Binay in the recent surveys.

Learning from 2010 lessons But Roxas seemed to be a nonbeliever of survey anymore, saying the real people’s survey is on election day in May next year when people would decide on whether or not they want to continue the policies of the Aquino administration.

Roxas, it was recalled, dominated the survey for vice president during the 2010 elections until he got the surprise of his life when Binay beat him.

Roxas has been on the fourth place in the presidential survey, with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte even beating him for third place.

But with Duterte’s decision not to run, the presidential elections next year is deemed a three-way fight, with the recent survey of a radio station showing Binay topping it but with Poe and Roxas closely behind.

Only one ‘Daang Matuwid’

While Poe is also deemed as incorruptible, Roxas explained that there can only be one policy in terms of honest and good governance, even referring to President Aquino as the father of Daang Matuwid.

“This (Daang Matuwid) is what we are pushing for. This will be our referendum. ito’y pagpapasya kung ano ang pagtanggap ng ating mga kababayan sa nakaraang lima hanggang anim na taon,” said Roxas.

“Kung nais ba natin na magpatuloy itong mga programa na nasimulan ng Pangulo then doon tayo sa Daang Matuwid. Kung gusto naman natin na palitan o baguhin, kung ang sigaw ay palitan o baguhin, ay wala po yun sa Daang Matuwid,” he added.

While both Poe and Escudero have been declaring that they are both independent, at least three political parties have reportedly signified support for the tandem, including the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) of businessman Danding Cojuangco.

Escudero, it was recalled, used to be a member of the NPC while Poe’s father was supported by the same party during the 2004 presidential elections.

Aquino endorsed Roxas in July this year, with the Chief Executive saying that the latter is the right person to continue what he had started.

Si Alan, o si Leni, o si Vi? With Poe expected to officially join the battle for presidency, Roxas’ choice for VP was narrowed down to three – Nacionalista Party Senator Alan Cayetano, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, and Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos.

“Ang aming pakikipag-usap sa maaring maging katandem ay patuloy. Ang mga pangalan ay hindi naman bago sa inyo. Lahat naman ito ay nakausap na,” said Roxas.

Santos recently expressed that she is not interested, Robredo remains hesitant, and Cayetano has openly declared that he is hoping that Roxas would pick him.

The LP has already given Roxas a free hand in selecting his own running mate.

This shift in the selection process from President Aquino, LP titular head, to Roxas was revealed by Senate President Franklin M. Drilon, LP vice chairman, during a radio interview yesterday.

Drilon said it is important for Roxas to have a running mate he feels comfortable with and that his choice would later be ratified by the party.

The LP senatoriables

Robredo is also being considered to be included in the LP senatorial lineup, reportedly along with other names such as Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista.

TESDA Director General Joel Villanueva was reportedly also included but appeared to have second thoughts as he allegedly did not want to run with De Lima.

Villanueva was charged in connection with the pork barrel scam, the recommendation coming from the Department of Justice under de Lima.

‘Front and center role’

Meanwhile, President Aquino will play “a front and center role” in the campaign of Roxas but cannot join him in the campaign trail all the time, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said, stressing that the President is also busy with governance.

“Yes, he will play a front and center role in the campaign because after all this is a referendum on Daang Matuwid… (but the )… President Aquino is also in the thick of governance,” Lacierda said in a Palace press briefing

“There will be some situations where perhaps the President will be campaigning together with Secretary Mar Roxas but Secretary Mar Roxas has his own campaign schedule,” he added. (With reports from Mario B. Casayuran and Genalyn D. Kabiling)