Mar-Noynoy talks on 2010 polls done the ‘non-trapo’ way

No negotiations, no exchange deals unlike the way scheming politicians do their talking. The four-day discussion between Manuel “Mar" Roxas II and Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino III about the 2010 elections was just like a banter between friends, according to people privy to last week’s talks between the senators. “Some people might think it’s too good to be true, but that’s how the talks happened. Hindi nga siya matatawag na negotiations, it was just a continuing conversation, walang quid pro quo, (It can’t be called negotiations, it was just a continuing conversation, no quid pro quo)," says Jose Luis Martin “Chito" Gascon, director-general of the Liberal Party (LP).

Gascon says that although Roxas was confident of his leadership capability, the senator took account of the events that unfolded after the death of President Corazon “Cory" Aquino, which made him realize that Noynoy was better suited to continue the fight for democracy started by the latter’s parents. “It was Mar who approached Noynoy and told him in their first meeting pa lang, ‘Noy, mukhang ikaw ang tawag ng panahon.’ Leader si Mar pero alam niya na hindi siya ‘yon. Masyadong malaki kasi ‘yung talon kung siya at hindi si Noynoy ang magpapatuloy ng laban ni Ninoy at Cory," Gascon says. (It was Mar who approached Noynoy and told him in their first meeting, ‘Noy, it looks like time is on your side.’ Mar is a leader but he knows he is not the one. It will be a long shot if he will be the one, and not Noynoy who will continue Ninoy and Cory’s fight.) Gascon says it wasn't easy for Noynoy to be convinced by Mar. "He wanted to reflect. Parang tinatanong niya ang sarili n'ya kung totoo ba itong nangyayari (He was asking himself if what's happening was true)." Calls for Noynoy to run for president in next year’s elections have snowballed after Cory’s death last August 1 and the 26th death anniversary of martyred Sen. Benigno “Ninoy" Aquino on August 21. On Tuesday, September 1, Roxas pulled out of the presidential race and endorsed Noynoy as LP’s standard bearer. Gascon dismisses claims that Roxas had decided to back out of his bid either due to pressure from LP members or his low ranking on popularity surveys. Roxas was fifth in the Pulse Asia survey of presidential aspirants conducted from July 28 to August 10, 2009. Roxas also placed fifth in the June 19 to 22, 2009 poll of the Social Weather Stations. “No pressure from the party. In fact, most (LP members) were supporting Mar. Survey results were not also a consideration. Mar was at par in the surveys. He was where we wanted him to be at the time," he says. Rico E. Puno, Noynoy’s consultant since the 80s, confirms Gascon’s claim. “Mar’s decision was voluntary, no party intervention. There was no party meeting about the issue. The last time that the LP convened was in July." Puno says Mar and Noynoy started their dinner talk Saturday, August 29, at the residence of LP campaign manager Florencio “Butch" Abad. This was followed by a merienda meeting at Puno’s house in Quezon City, Sunday, August 30. The third was held the next day at the Aquino ancestral house in Forbes Park, Makati City. The two had lunch Tuesday, hours before Roxas made his announcement endorsing Noynoy for president at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City. “The talks were done in private. Madalas sila lang dalawa ang nag-uusap. Para lang silang magkabarkada kung mag-usap. Walang taasan ng boses, walang argumento, (The talks were done in private. Most of the time, it was only the two of them talking. They talked like buddies. They did not raise their voices, there were no arguments)," he says. During their conversation at Puno’s residence, Roxas told Aquino that he really wanted to become president and in fact had prepared for it for two years. “But Mar told Noynoy that he was willing to give up his dream because he felt that Noynoy was the right person for the job and that people were clamoring for him to lead the nation," says Puno. - GMANews.TV