MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III said on Tuesday night that the decision to adopt Vice President Jejomar Binay as the Liberal Party's (LP) standard-bearer is not in his hands.
"'Yung party namin kasi, importante 'yung may consensus. Hindi pwedeng 'yung isa magsalita na hindi napagkasunduan pa," Aquino told the Philippine media delegation in Singapore when asked about Binay's possible adoption as LP's bet.
Aquino said the consensus-building processes for the LP's potential standard-bearer are now being conducted.
On his possible anointed one, Aquino also said that he needs to seek the consensus of his current supporters and those who backed him in the 2010 elections.
This is to ensure that the administration's reforms and programs will be sustained after his term, Aquino said.
"Para mas masigurado 'yon, importante yung meron tayo yung tinatawag na consensus, pagkakasundo ng lahat na isa ang itayo natin na siyang magiging mukha ng plataporma ng gobyernong gusto nating pairalin sa bansa," he explained.
Asked if he is open to talks with other political parties, Aquino said he engages with everybody who wants to talk to him including those who are fond of giving unsolicited advice.
When asked if Binay's United Nationalist Alliance is among these groups, Aquino said he never talked to the party's interim president, Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco.
Aquino, however, admitted that he did talk to Binay, although it was not about his preferred presidential candidate.
"So I cannot say naman that I didn't talk to any of them," he said.
The President reiterated that he will announce at the right time his bet in the next elections.
Binay remains the frontrunner in the presidential surveys, although his ratings have dropped due to the allegations that he earned kickbacks from various projects in Makati City and that he used dummies to conceal his supposed ill-gotten wealth.
Binay had asked Aquino if the Senate probe on him could be stopped. The President relayed the request to Senate President Franklin Drilon.
The Vice President had accused Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II, LP's presumptive standard-bearer, of orchestrating "Oplan Stop Nognog 2016," an alleged plot that was aimed to derail his presidential bid.
Amid the mounting allegations against him, Binay earlier criticized the Aquino administration for its "selective justice" and for its certain decisions such as the Disbursement Acceleration Progam.
Aquino responded by saying that Binay is free to leave the Cabinet if he is unhappy with the administration's policies.