Mar Roxas on Aquino sisters’ support for Binay: It’s up to them

Published August 8, 2014 8:04pm

Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, who Liberal Party stalwarts say would be the ruling party's standard bearer in the 2016, said it was up to President Benigno Aquino III's sisters who they want to support in the presidential elections two years from now.

Two of the President's sisters, showbiz personality Kris Aquino and Ballsy Aquino-Cruz, earlier indicated their support for the idea of opposition leader Vice President Jejomar Binay running as the guest presidential candidate of the ruling party in the 2016 elections.

“Nasa kanila yun. Ang bawat tao naman ay may kanya-kanyang pananaw. Basta tayo trabaho lang,” Roxas said in an interview with GMA News aired on "24 Oras" on Friday.

Binay on Monday shared what he described as "raw" information that the administration party was considering adopting him to be its guest presidential candidate in the next elections.

“I am glad that Ballsy and Kris have affirmed this bond and I will always be grateful for their trust and support,” Binay said later in a press statement.

Roxas refused to comment on Binay's “information” but said that LP's guiding principle is always anchored on shared values especially against corruption.

“Lahat ng aming mga gawain sa LP ay nakatungtong sa matibay na pundasyon ng prinsipyo, shared values at good anti-corruption governance,” Roxas said.

Binay has a pending plunder case filed against him before the Ombudsman.

Binay, who had beaten Roxas in the vice presidential race in 2010 elections, is the chairman of the opposition's United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

Despite being in the opposition, Binay, remains a member of President Aquino's Cabinet as housing czar and adviser on migrant workers' affairs.

Binay is a longtime friend of the Aquinos.

He has repeatedly said that he owed his political career to the late former President Corazon Aquino, who appointed him officer-in-charge of Makati after the Edsa Revolution in 1986.

Roxas, on the other hand, was already the LP's presumptive presidential candidate for the 2010 elections when Cory Aquino's death in August 2009 caused a clamor for her son to run for President. Roxas gave way to Aquino and ran as his running mate.

Roxas was leading the vice presidential polls most of the way in 2010. Binay eventually came from behind to win the vice presidency.

An LP member, Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice said it seems very unlikely that LP would endorse Binay as its presidential candidate in 2016.

“Ang sabi ng Pangulo 'ni katiting walang duda na maipagpapatuloy ang kanyang mga reporma. Si Vice President Binay sobrang kaduda-duda na mapagpapatuloy niya. Bakit? hindi namin siya kasama sa sin tax, RH bill, sa pagprosecute ng mga senador,” Erice said.

According to some LP members interviewed by GMA News, some politicians who just joined the party in 2010, were the ones in favor of adopting candidates outside LP, including Binay, for 2016 elections, while the original members of LP were against the proposal. —Elizabeth Marcelo/NB, GMA News

Tags: 2016elections