Roxas skips proclamation of running mate Noynoy

Where is Sen. Manuel "Mar" Roxas II? Roxas, a defeated vice presidential bet, was nowhere to be found during the proclamation of his running mate, President-elect Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III, at the Batasan Pambansa Wednesday afternoon. Aquino, at a press conference after the proclamation, said Roxas was out of town. "I understand that he is out of town. I texted him on both phones available to me. I had to deposit my phones to my personnel... I'll see this evening if he has responded," Aquino said. Aquino added that he is giving Roxas "some space." "But we were in communication not too long ago; I was in Tarlac and he was in Baguio. I plan to give him some space," he said. Roxas lost to Vice President-elect Jejomar Binay, who was proclaimed alongside Aquino, by a margin of about 700,000 votes. Binay, the mayor of Makati City, got about 14.6 million votes while Roxas got about 13.9 million. Roxas earlier said he is mulling the filing of an electoral protest. Roxas initially intended to run for president but gave way to Aquino in September last year due to the loud clamor for the latter to run for the position following the death of his mother, the late President Corazon "Cory" Aquino, a month before. Both Aquino and Roxas belong to the Liberal Party (LP). Also absent during the proclamation were defeated presidential bets Senators Manny Villar Jr., Richard Gordon and Jamby Madrigal. Defeated vice presidential candidate Sen. Loren Legarda was also not in attendance. — with Amita Legaspi/KBK, GMANews.TV