Roxas: Sincerity is Leni's advantage

MANILA, Philippines - Liberal Party (LP) presidential candidate Manuel Roxas II is optimistic that his running mate Camarines Sur Rep. Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo will gain public support, believing her sincerity will be her advantage over her rivals.

Roxas admitted that Robredo’s low survey numbers is a concern but is confident that the gains of the Aquino administration’s straight path policy would be an advantage to both of them.

“For us, the sincerity, honesty and experience are more important than numbers. It is not a secret that I started with four (percent). Leni started with three right? But we feel and we strongly believe that we stand by what is right,” Roxas told reporters yesterday at the LP headquarters in Quezon City.

“We believe that in the end, our countrymen will see who are the most deserving to lead our country,” he added.

Robredo announced on Monday her decision to run for vice president under the LP, setting aside her reservations about seeking higher office. Robredo, the widow of the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, vowed to look after the welfare of ordinary Filipinos, whom she described as the strength of the nation.

She, however, has yet to post impressive numbers in surveys released last month.

Robredo was a cellar dweller in the latest Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations (SWS) surveys on potential vice presidential bets.

She got 3 percent in the latest Pulse Asia survey, trailing behind Sen. Grace Poe with 24 percent, Sen. Francis Escudero with 23 percent, Sen. Ferdinand Marcos with 13 percent, Sen. Alan Cayetano with 9 percent and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV with 4 percent.

Poe has announced her plan to run for president while Escudero, Marcos, Cayetano and Trillanes have expressed their intention to seek the vice presidency.

In the SWS survey, Robredo only got 2 percent, lower than Poe’s 25 percent, Escudero’s 18 percent, Marcos’ 6 percent and Cayetano’s 3 percent.

“We hope that as we offer the 'Straight Path' tandem to them, our countrymen will see the honesty, sincerity and track record in service,” Roxas said.

260 local officials join LP

Meanwhile, 260 local officials, including former members of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), joined the LP in a ceremony at the party’s headquarters in Quezon City.

The new LP members came from Pampanga, Laguna, Tarlac, Olongapo, Masbate, Leyte, San Jose Del Monte, Sulu, Camarines Norte, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, Surigao del Norte, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Bacolod, Puerto Princesa, Isabela, Caloocan, Quezon City and Munoz.   

Among those who moved to the ruling party is Tanauan, Leyte Mayor and former UNA member Pelegio Teczon, who claimed to be a “big believer” of the Aquino administration’s Straight Path.

“After (the onslaught of typhoon) Yolanda, we received help even if I belong to another party that time. The administration of President P-Noy (Aquino) helped us. In fact, that’s one of the reasons behind the quick recovery of Tanawan,” he said.

Teczon, however, admitted that he is only speaking for Tanawan and not for the other areas ravaged by the typhoon.

When asked what he found in the LP that he did not find in UNA, Teczon gave a safe answer.

“I'm not trying to shy away from something but I'm trying to go for something that has demonstrated pretty strong results for us in Tanawan,” the mayor said.