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Drilon tells Mar Roxas: Declare plan to run for President


A senior leader of the ruling Liberal Party on Monday asked Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II to declare his intention to run for President in 2016.

“I would take the position that Mar Roxas should now declare his intention. If he is indeed interested- and I think he is – he should declare now his intention that he would want to present himself as a candidate for the Presidency in 2016,” Senate President Franklin Drilon told reporters.

Drilon, the campaign manager of the LP-led coalition in the 2013 senatorial elections, said it was important for the people to know that someone would continue the reforms implemented by President Benigno Aquino III.

“Sa akin ay kailangan po, at importante na ang polisya ng Pangulo ay maituloy, at ang kanyang mga reporma, eh kailangan malaman ng taumbayan kung paano na, ano ang mangyayari,” Drilon said.

Asked on LP’s policy on non-members as part of their slate, Drilon said the members had yet to discuss the matter.

"As I am concerned. We would prefer a member of the party,” Drilon said.

Poe, an independent senator, ran under the administration coalition in 2013.

Drilon said that he would like to think the President would endorse someone who would be comfortable with continuing the reforms he had started.

“These reforms have taken roots and have resulted in unprecedented improvements in our stock market, in investments, and in improvements in efforts to alleviate poverty,” Drilon said.

“So it is important for me to have a candidate who will continue these reforms. That is why my view- and this is a personal view- that Secretary Roxas should now declare if he will be presenting himself as a candidate in 2016,” he added.

Aquino earlier talked to Sen. Grace Poe to discuss his intention to get a winnable candidate who can continue the reforms he initiated. Also present, at the latter part of the meeting, was Roxas.

Poe has said she asked Aquino if the LP would support her if she decided to seek a higher post in 2016. -NB, GMA News

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