Sen. Drilon, who is
the current president of the Liberal Party said that the party which
one of the oldest political parties in the country, will have its
annual meeting on November 26, 2007 during which, Senator Roxas will
be surely elected as the new President of the party and will be
formally proclaimed as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2010
elections.
Drilon who was in town
to keynote the first Government Accountants’ Forum and to attend the
45th Anniversary of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public
Accountants (PICPA) Tacloban Chapter held at the Kanhuraw Convention
Center, said that the country needs a strong party and so the move is
to revitalize the Liberal Party and with Sen. Mar Roxas as the
standard bearer, the Liberal Party will present a solid good
governance platform.
Senator Roxas is the
unanimous choice of the party, there are no other candidates for
President from the party, Drilon said. He however could not say who
the running mate of Senator Roxas will be. The party will decide on
that in the near future, Drilon who reliable sources say will run
again as Senator in the 2010 election, intimated.
Drilon said that he
foresees a three or four cornered fight in the coming Presidential
elections. He however declined to name the names of the would-be
candidates. Again reliable sources informed that very soon, the
Nacionalista Party which is also one of the oldest parties in the
country will have its convention in the near future and will proclaim
Senate President Manny Villar as its standard bearer in the
forthcoming 2010 presidential elections.
The Liberal Party, as
a political party will present a solid platform based on good
governance, the former Senate President declared saying that the
problem today is that there is too much distrust and doubt in the
government. The Liberal Party will therefore present a strong platform
that will endeavor to win the confidence and trust in the government.
For the government to
be truly effective, it needs the trust and confidence of the people,
Drilon added. It would be recalled that the former Senate President
who was once a political ally of the Administration, joined the call
for the current President to resign amid the Garci scandal.
Asked if the party
will be supported by former President Estrada on the presidential bid
of Senator Roxas who is the scion of a family of politicians and one
of the richest clans in the country, former Senate President Drilon
refused to give categorical answer.
He however, lamented
that most of the political parties in the country today, are
personality based and not on principles as when the country has only
two political parties.
Asked if it is
rather early to start the presidential campaign, Drilon said
that whether we like it or not, the would be presidential
candidate should start by this time, otherwise, the people will not be
given the chance to really know the candidate and the presidential
candidate will not have the chance to really go around the country to
present his platform.
