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Roxas to be LP's presidential bet in 2010 - Drilon


MANILA, Philippines – The Liberal Party on Friday said Senator Manuel Roxas II will be the party’s standard bearer in the 2010 presidential elections, a radio report said. Radio dzBB reported that the announcement was made by party chairman and former Senate president Franklin Drilon during a press conference in Manila which was also attended by other leaders of the party. "We will not agree to any coalition (if) Mar Roxas is not the standard bearer," Drilon said. Roxas, the son of former Sen. Gerry Roxas and the grandson of former President Manuel Roxas, graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1974 and the Wharton School of Economics in Pennsylvania in 1979. Roxas entered the political arena in 1993 when he won as Representative of the first district of Capiz and in 2000 was appointed as Trade Secretary. He was elected senator in 2004, and authored - among others - the Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008, which seeks to lower the cost of medicines by amending the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines . Last January 15, the LP disclosed the personalities considered in its senatorial line-up, including: • Former Agriculture Sec. Florencio “Butch" Abad, • Muntinlupa Rep. Rozanno Rufino “Ruffy" Biazon, • Quezon Rep. Erin Tanada, • Former Bukidnon Rep. Nerius Acosta, • Naga Mayor Jesse Robredo, • Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca, • Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio, and • TV personality Cory Quirino. Last Wednesday, Sen. Loren Legarda announced her availability to run for president in the 2010 elections. This came only days after the Nacionalista Party last Saturday announced that Sen. Manuel Villar will be its standard bearer in 2010. During its announcement, the Nacionalista Party said it will release by midyear its full slate of candidates, down to the councilor level. Meanwhile, efforts are now underway for the planned merger between two administration parties, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats and the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi). During the executive committee caucus of Lakas held at the Holiday Inn Resort in Clark Field in Pampanga on Thursday, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said the two parties should “fight side by side" in the 2010 national polls. - Sophia Dedace, GMANews.TV
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