MANILA, Sept. 28 (PNA) – President Benigno Aquino III will lead the Liberal Party’s National Executive Council (NECO) meeting and its presentation of presidential and vice presidential candidates on Wednesday, a ruling party’s stalwart announced on Monday.
LP vice chairman and Senate President Franklin Drilon said the LP had yet to decide on its 12-man senatorial slate but the running mate of LP standard-bearer Mar Roxas would be announced at the Club Filipino in San Juan.
”The president will be there as the chairman of the party. He will preside over the business meeting of the NECO, after the business meeting, we will have the presentation of the presidential and vice presidential candidate of the party. The President will be there, as chairman of the party,” Drilon explained in a media interview before Monday’s Senate session.
When asked to name Roxas’ possible running mate, Drilon advised the media to just “wait for it.”
Earlier, Drilon identified Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano and Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos as among the possible vice presidential bet of the ruling party.
Drilon sees ‘dead heat’ race for president in the 2016 now that Roxas, Senator Grace Poe and Vice President Jejomar Binay considered as statistically tied based on the recent surveys of Pulse Asia and Social Weather Station (SWS).
”It’s a dead heat race. Statistically tied, it’s plus minus three. It’s the start of Roxas’ surge in surveys. The race is on,” he said.
Drilon said the LP would continue to present Roxas “as the rightful successor of President Aquino to continue the principle of Daang Matuwid.”
”Of course, we will not present a candidate who will not win. We are confident that we can make a distinction between Secretary Mar and his opponents,” Drilon said. (PNA)
