MANILA - Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II was urged yesterday to declare his intentions for the 2016 polls and present himself as a candidate for president.
Senate President Franklin Drilon said Roxas, as a suitable candidate to continue the reforms of President Aquino, must make his intentions known to the people.
“Let me say we have an official process in the party but I would take the position that Mar Roxas should now declare his intention,” he said.
“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.”
The Liberal Party vice chairman has repeatedly stated that Roxas is the party’s candidate for the presidency in the 2016 elections.
Drilon said voters need to know soon how the administration intends to go about continuing the reforms of Aquino.
They want to be assured that this would take place, he added.
Drilon said that Aquino would eventually endorse someone “who would be comfortable with continuing the reforms he has started.”
“So it is important for me to have a candidate who will continue these reforms,” he said.
“That is why my view, and this is a personal view, is that Sec. Roxas should now declare if he will be presenting himself as a candidate in 2016.”
Drilon said the LP has not decided on this issue yet.
Based on the various statements of members, the opinions about who should run for president vary, he added.
Recently, Aquino said he has discussed the 2016 polls with Sen. Grace Poe, who ran under the administration’s coalition in the 2013 senatorial election, although she was not a member of the LP.
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