PNoy seeking consensus on 2016 bet

(Updated 4:54 p.m.) President Benigno Aquino III has admitted for the first time that he is already actively making moves for the 2016 national elections.

In an interview on Tuesday night in Singapore, Aquino said he is currently seeking consensus among his allies and rallying them behind a single standard-bearer in 2016.

Aquino delivered a speech before business leaders in a forum organized by The Economist in Singapore. He is scheduled to meet more business executives there within the day.

"Matagal-tagal ko nang pinag-iisipan iyan at pinipilit kong magkaroon ng consensus, 'yung pagkakasunduan, sa pagitan ng mga grupong sumuporta sa atin at sumusuporta sa atin," Aquino told reporters.

"Importante na magkaroon tayo ng consensus, pagkakasundo ng lahat na isa ang itayo natin na magiging mukha ng plataporma de gobierno na gusto natin," he added.

The President, however, remained tight-lipped about his choice for his successor.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Abaya, LP's acting president, earlier named Interior Secretary Mar Roxas as LP's presidential bet for 2016.  

Senate President Franklin Drilon, the ruling party’s vice chairman, had also said that Roxas is his preferred LP presidential candidate in 2016.

Forming coalitions?

Asked if he was already forming coalitions with other parties for the 2016 polls, Aquino said he is “engaging everybody” who wants to talk with him.

“Pati ‘yung mga mahilig magbigay ng unsolicited advice, binasa ko na rin ‘yung advice nilang hindi ko sinolicit. In-engage ko na rin sila,” he told reporters.

Earlier this week, Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Treñas, deputy chair of the LP Visayas bloc, floated the idea of the ruling party joining forces with the Nacionalista Party (NP) for the 2016 polls, describing such an alliance as “unbeatable.”

Aquino further said that he had not met with top officials of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), particularly its interim president, Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco.

Aquino, however, said that he had talked with UNA’s prospective standard-bearer, Vice President Jejomar Binay, although not on matters related to the 2016 polls.

Binay has been dominating pre-election surveys on presidential bets for 2016, although his ratings had declined while he is being investigated by the Senate on corruption allegations.

Still focused on governance

In a separate press briefing on Wednesday, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Aquino is still focused on governance, despite his admission that he is already building consensus behind a standard-bearer in 2016.

“The President himself mentioned that they’re starting consensus building, which is also necessarily coincides with the timetable,” Valte told reporters.

“That doesn’t mean that the President does not pay full attention to a number of things that require his attention,” she added.

The Palace official further said that Aquino “cannot help but give his thoughts” on the 2016 polls, since he is constantly being asked about the matter.

When asked about the possibility of the LP adopting Binay as its presidential bet in 2016, Aquino replied, “‘Yung party namin kasi importante ‘yung may consensus. Hindi pwedeng isa ang magsalita na hindi pinagkasunduan pa.”

Last August, Binay said he received “raw” information that the LP is eyeing him as standard-bearer for the 2016 elections. — RSJ/KBK, GMA News