Noy sees nothing wrong with early posturing for 2016 polls

MANILA, Philippines - Vowing not to let jockeying for the 2016 polls distract him from his job, President Aquino said yesterday he would rather not reveal his party’s presidential bet in the next elections but stressed he sees nothing wrong with others declaring their intentions to run this early.

“I will announce at the appropriate time. But right now, of course we are focused on current problems instead of the 2016 elections,” Aquino told reporters after keynoting the Pinoy Music Summit in Manila. Aquino belongs to the Liberal Party.

He said that by divulging their plans this early, aspiring politicians and candidates seeking re-election would give the people the opportunity to scrutinize them well and make good decisions at the polling booths.

“So I suppose that will help,” Aquino said, referring to early announcement of political plans.

But for his part, Aquino said 2014 had just begun and people would understand if the 2016 elections would not be his priority.

He said the rainy season is again approaching, hence the need for the government to work full time to ensure communities are prepared to cope with potential disastrous typhoons and other calamities.

Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II is perceived to be the LP’s standard-bearer in 2016, but he too would not reveal his plans yet.

Roxas gave way to Aquino and settled for the vice presidency in 2010 but lost to Jejomar Binay despite high ratings in the beginning of the campaign.

Binay earlier bolted the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) to form his own political party in preparation for his presidential run in 2016.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano of the Nacionalista Party also said he would like to become president, although there were others from the NP who were also reportedly eyeing the country’s top post.

They are Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. – the only son and namesake of the late dictator – and former senator Manuel Villar Jr., who lost to Aquino in 2010.

Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., chairman of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), also said he is open to running for president and claimed he is being implicated in the pork barrel scam because of his political ambitions.