PNoy eyes Mar-Chiz tandem for 2016
- Published : Monday, July 08, 2013 00:00
- Article Views : 114
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FROM being bitter political foes during the 2010 presidential elections, Interior and Local Government Sec. Mar Roxas and Sen. Chiz Escudero may end up working together for the 2016 presidential polls as President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III is eyeing their partnership for thecontinuity of his “straight path” governance in the next six years after his term of office expires.
Well-placed sources from the so-called presidential circle said President Aquino, chairman of the ruling Liberal Party (LP), is now satisfied with Escudero being the runningmate of Roxas in the next polls.
“If the President’s mind would not change, he is going to endorse the Mar-Chiz tandem because he believes the two can carry the reforms he initiated. That is shaping up now,” the source, who requested anonymity for obvious reason, disclosed.
The source claimed President Aquino asked Escudero to be the runningmate of Roxas which the senator “initially” accepted.
“Senator Chiz has made a preliminary commitment to the President’s request,” the source said.
However, the source said Roxas apparently is not open to the proposal of the President. “It seems that Sec. Roxas is not buying the idea of him running with Chiz for obvious reason. But things may change as we get nearer to the 2016 elections.”
“In one conversation, President Aquino jestingly told Sen. Chiz ‘ang problema na lamang natin pare ang mapapayag si Sec. Mar’,” the source said.
Roxas repeatedly denied that he is seeking the presidency in 2016 while Escudero also remains silent on his political ambition for higher office.
Escudero backed Vice President Jejomar Binay in the 2010 presidential elections that catapulted the latter to the country’s second top elective post, beating Roxas with a slim margin.
In the last May midterm elections, Escudero ran and won as Team PNoy candidate after personally handpicked by President Aquino. On the other hand, Binay failed to prevent the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) from dropping Escudero as guest candidate who even had a word war with then mayoralty candidate and former President Joseph Estrada.
Escudero was one of those who coined the term “NoyBi” in the last presidential elections or the group supporting the presidential bid of then Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Binay, a former Makati City mayor.
This gave birth to the two prominent factions in the Aquino administration called “Balay” and “Samar” groups.
The Balay Group was named after the Aquino-Roxas tandem headquarters in Cubao and composed of LP stalwarts, the “Hyatt 10,” and other supporters of the Noynoy-Mar ticket.
The Samar group or the supposed Aquino-Binay supporters came from another campaign headquarters on Samar Avenue, Quezon City.
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