Filtered By: Topstories
News

Alan Cayetano: Mar Roxas’ camp asked if I could be his veep


Mutual friends have asked Senator Alan Peter Cayetano about the possibility of him running alongside the Liberal Party's presumptive standard-bearer Interior Secretary Mar Roxas in the 2016 elections, the Nacionalista Party stalwart told reporters on Friday.

The ruling LP, which is chaired by President Benigno Aquino III, and the NP, which has five members in the Senate, are considered as two of the most influential political parties in the country.

The groups are considered the pillars of the ruling coalition during the Aquino administration since 2010.

“To be fair to Secretary Roxas, we have not talked personally but we have people who are common supporters may mga organization sa ibaba, may mga kongresista,” Cayetano said in a press conference.

“We have people doing polls or surveys, so nung nakita nila na without (Senator) Grace Poe sa vice president nag na-number 1 ako so they were asking if I we’re interested. Hindi si Secretary Mar mismo kundi ilang sa mga nakapaligid sa kanya kumakausap sa political liuetenants ko,” he added.

He said persons close to him and Roxas were asking if he was open to run for vice president in tandem with the interior secretary.

“Ang pinahatid lang sa akin is because you have a good chance of winning but also you bring in to the ticket experience, integrity, anti-graft pero hindi ka yes man," Cayetano said.

"Hindi ka yes lang nang yes kay PNoy (President Aquino), sabi nila it would be a good balance to someone who will be endorsed by the president," he added.

Cayetano said these groups had a survey which showed that his numbers have grown to six to 10 percent for president, and more percentage points for vice president.

“Certain businessmen said that they have a new survey showing that the support for me has grown a lot doon sa vice presidency and have grown mightily, doing between 6 to 10 percent for president and much more for vice president, but I haven’t seen it," Cayetano said.

He also said that some supporters of Senator Grace Poe have also asked him if he is willing to tandem with the neophyte senator.
 
“It is the same thing, for example, some of the  people in the business community supporting Grace (Poe) have asked me whether I’m open to a Grace-Cayetano (tandem). I said unang-una bago n’yo ako tanungin, tanungin n’yo muna ang kandidato n’yo kasi sya ang nagsabi na meron siyang gustong katambal,” he said. 

Cayetano said he expects to arrive at a decision on his plan for 2016 by the end of August or in September when he sees the internal survey that will be conducted in early part of August.

“Right now, I’m focused on running for president,” he said, adding that he hoped that there would not be any clash between him and other members of the Nacionalista Party.

He said Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is open to run for President while Senator Antonio Trillanes is ready to seek the vice presidency.

“I’m hoping na hindi mangyayari yung banggaan. It is possible but improbable dahil lagi naman kaming nag-uusap,” Cayetano said. -NB, GMA News
LOADING CONTENT