President Benigno Aquino III showed up at a restaurant in San Juan City on Tuesday as the 1,200 members of the Liberal Party gathered in a “show of force” to support the presidential bid of Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II.
Rumored LP vice-presidential candidates Camarines Sur Representative Leni Robredo and Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto shared the table with Roxas and Aquino.
The event, organized by the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines , dubbed as “Ituloy ang Daang Matuwid” gathered both local and national leaders of the Liberal Party and other political allies in an attempt to unify the administration coalition in preparation for the 2016 presidential derby.
Roxas accompanied the President at the Gloria Maris Restaurant in San Juan together with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director-General Joel Villanueva and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad around noon.
During the affair, President Aquino pitched for Roxas, saying it was “difficult to sell an obscure product and it is easy to make promises.”
“In our five years, we did not do any magic, we persevered in doing what is right and we are benefiting from it today,” Aquino said.
Roxas then lambasted his political rival, Vice President Jejomar Binay, who on Monday attacked him and the administration in his “true state of the nation address” for their supposed “incompetence and thievery.”
“Yesterday you saw how others started their machinery. This is just the start and this will intensify,” Roxas said.
An apologetic Roxas addressed the audience, mostly local and grassroots leaders of the Liberal Party, saying that he was “courting” got their support.
“I am said to be aloof, that’s okay, we can smile,” he said. “I am said to be elitist and arrogant. I ask for pardon,” Aquino’s “anointed” one said.
He then vowed that “in the coming days you will see the real me,” adding, “my heart is open, clean and sincere and I want us to be together.”
“I am courting for your support… We’re not here just because PNoy said, and not just because we belong from the same political party, but because we do have same beliefs,” Roxas said.
“But because you like me also,” he added as local government officials cheered.
Local LP leaders meanwhile made a commitment to support Roxas.
Albay Governor Joey Salceda, who came along with mayors and councilors of his province, said they are solidly behind Roxas in 2016.
“It’s time to level up to ensure continuity for the present administration’s gains,” Salceda said.
Edmond Abesamis, president of the Liga ng mga Barangay promised “not to leave (Roxas) on the straight path.”
Mayor Leonardo Javier Jr. of Javier, Leyte, president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines added that, “as frontliners,” Roxas could vouch for the local government executives’ support.
He also described the Interior secretary as “hardworking and diligent” and “does not leave any stone unturned.”
Roxas remains steadfast that his ratings will soon see a rise despite lagging behind in surveys, saying “I will just be myself.”
“I’ll just be sincere, be truthful. That’s what I’ve been doing ever since despite the allegations and gossips that aren’t true,” he said.
“I’m responsible for myself – what I do, what I say and that’s where I hold my ground firm,” Roxas said in an interview over dzMM radio.
Although the event was attended by mostly members from the Liberal Party, members from LP’s coalition partners – Nationalist People’s Coalition, the National Unity Party and other pro-administration party-lists like Akbayan and YACAP also showed up.
Among the NPC members spotted at the event were Representatives Henry Pryde Teves and George Arnaiz of Negros Oriental, Isidro Rodriguez of Rizal and Pedro Acharon Jr. of General Santos City.
The Nationalist People’s Coalition, the country’s second largest political party said it has yet to decide who to support next year, wherein some top party officials acknowledged that a number of their members are inclined to back Senator Grace Poe if she decides to make a run for the presidency.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. meanwhile excused himself from attending the larger “gathering of friends”, but has sent warm regards to Roxas’ candidacy.
Roxas cited a quote from the movie “Batman Begins,” pointing to the brickbats being thrown by his critics.
“It’s not who I am underneath, but it’s what I do that defines me,” Roxas said.
“In the weighing scale, the positive definitely outweighs the negative ones,” he added.