SENATOR Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday he was open to forging a partnership with Vice President Jejomar Binay in the 2016 elections, and that he would consider everything and all possibilities.
“They call politics the art of the possible. You never know, you have seen unlikely alliances,” Marcos told ANC.
He earlier admitted he was contemplating joining the presidential race next year.
“My plan has always been to run for reelection in the Senate,” Marcos told reporters at the Fortune Restaurant in the City of San Fernando.
“But of course things are changing and people are mentioning my name. I have to look at the political terrain and see what’s happening.”
Marcos made his statement even as a Social Weather Stations survey conducted in the first quarter this year said Senator Grace Poe was the top choice for vice president in 2016 if the elections were held now.
Poe was the choice of 26 percent of the respondents for vice president, followed by Interrior Secretary Manuel Roxas II with 12 percent and Vice President Jejomar Binay with 7 percent.
The others in the list were Senator Francis Escudero (6 percent), Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago (5 percent), Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte (4 percent), Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (3 percent), Senator Alan Peter Cayetano (3 percent), former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada (3 percent), Senator Antonio Trillanes IV (3 percent), Senator Loren Legarda (1.7 percent), former Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery and Senator Panfilo Lacson (1.6 percent), former Senator Manny Villar (0.6 percent), Senator Jinggoy Estrada (0.6 percent) and Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos Recto (0.6 percent).
Marcos, the only son of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and Ilocos Norte
Rep. Imelda Marcos, had earlier been mum about his plan to run for President, although he admitted sharing his mother’s dream to return to Malacañang.
But he said there was nothing final, and that his plans would also depend on the decision of the Nacionalista Party where he belongs. He could run for Presidentor vice president or seek another six-year term as a senator.
Marcos said they had no particular agenda during the NP’s nine-day Manila-Japan cruise to start today, but he believed they would talk about politics.
Also joining the cruise, which is held annually and sponsored by the NP, are Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, some congressmen and local leaders like governors and mayors.
Marcos said the issues hounding Binay were factors that might affect his decision to run with him.
“But we have not come to a final point in all these to exactly see what’s happening,” Marcos said.
Binay is being accused of corruption during his incumbency as Makati Mayor and as a long-time president of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and as a housing czar.
He is facing graft charges at the Office of the Ombudsman over allegations of huge kickbacks from anomalous transactions, but he has continued to profess his innocence and claims all the allegations against him are aimed at destroying his chances of winning the presidency.
Marcos has also dismissed President Benigno Aquino III’s pronouncement that he would never become President to regain the post held by his father for over 20 years.
“That’s his opinion…That’s a no-brainer,” Marcos said.
He said the young voters were now questioning the “propaganda” against his family.
“I think what’s happening is that the actual objective historical study of my father’s administration has started. We’ve always stood on that. All other stuff are propaganda,” Marcos said.