Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, bottom, adjusts his glasses as Senate President Franklin Drilon looks on during his 5th State of the Nation Address during the joint session of the 16th Congress at the House of Representatives in suburban Quezon city, north of Manila, Philippines Monday, July 28, 2014. AP FILE PHOTO
President聽Benigno Aquino聽III will not聽endorse a non-Liberal聽Party聽(LP) member聽in next year鈥檚 elections, Senate聽President Franklin Drilon聽said聽on聽Thursday.
鈥淪a palagay ko ay mukhang paga-asa lang po iyan at hindi po mangyayari na ang Pangulong Aquino ay mag-eendorse ng iisang kandidato na hindi sa Partido Liberal,鈥澛燚rilon, vice chairman of LP, said聽in an interview over DZRH.
(I think it鈥檚 just聽wishful thinking,聽but聽I don鈥檛 think聽President Aquino聽will endorse a candidate who is聽not聽a member of the Liberal Party.)
鈥淪iya po ay sa partido, at inaasahan namin na ang mga plataproma ng Partido Liberal ang kanyang isusulong at kanyang ieendorse ang isang kandidato mula sa Partido Liberal,鈥澛� he said.
(He is for the聽party, and we expect that he will push the LP聽platforms and that he will endorse聽a candidate from the聽Liberal Party.)
Drilon was reacting to Vice聽President Jejomar Binay, who expressed hope Wednesday聽that Aquino聽would still聽endorse him聽for president in 2016.聽Binay is a friend聽of聽Aquino and聽his family.
READ: Binay eyes Aquino backing
The Senate聽leader聽said LP聽is hoping聽that聽the President, after his last State of the Nation Address (Sona) in July, will endorse聽Interior聽Secretary聽Manuel 鈥淢ar鈥澛燫oxas II as聽the聽party鈥檚聽standard-bearer.
READ: Roxas will be LP鈥檚 bet鈥擠rilon
Unlike聽Binay though,聽Roxas has yet to publicly declare whether or not he would join the presidential聽race.
鈥淯maasa kami na [si] Mar Roxas ang ieendorso ng Pangulong PNoy pagdating ng panahon sa Hulyo, pagkatapos ng Sona. Sabi ng Pangulong Aquino ay doon siya mag-announce ng kanyang endorsement, at sa ngayon, let it stand that way,鈥澛燚rilon said.
(We are hoping聽that President Aquino聽will endorse Mar Roxas聽in July, after his Sona. The President聽said he聽would announce there聽his endorsement, let it stand聽that way.)
Drilon did聽not rule聽out聽the聽possibility though that聽a non-LP member,聽Senator聽Grace Poe, could聽still be offered to become聽Roxas鈥� running mate in 2016. IDL
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