PLEASE SEE UPDATES BELOW. Liberal Party President and Senator Mar Roxas II made the following “major and important announcement” tonight at the historic Club Filipino.
After months of being considered LP’s presidential candidate-in-waiting, Roxas formally gave way to partymate Senator Noynoy Aquino, son of former President Cory Aquino and former Sen. Ninoy Aquino. Noynoy and other LP leaders joined Roxas at the press conference.
Roxas could not have chosen a better date to make this announcement as it falls exactly a month after the death of President Aquino who herself took her presidential oath of office at the same venue.
However, Roxas did not directly state that he is open to be Aquino’s runningmate or whether he will abandon plans to run for higher office and instead run for reelection as senator next year.
Following are excerpts of Sen. Roxas’ statement:
To make the party a bridge for the forces for change. I choose to bring unity not division.
Bilang pinuno ng aking partido, magdedesisyon ako. Mahal ko ang Partido Liberal. My grandfather founded it. My father led it in the most difficult times… Di siya sumuko… To fight the good fight, to pass the test of true character.
Over the weekend, Noynoy and I had many long conversations. We agreed to forget about ourselves.
This is about our people and our country. This is about our common dream. The dream of our forebears. But let us not remain a country of dreamers. Tama na ang hanggang puro pangarap.
I am announcing my support for Noynoy Aquino for President in 2010.
Noy has made it clear to me that he wants to carry the torch of leadership. The passing of President Cory has reawakened… Good will win over evil.
Ito na ang pinakamabigat na desisyon sa buhay ko. Maniwala man kayo o hindi, ginagawa ko ito poara sa bayan, para sa inyo.
I do this for unity in support of change. If that means that somebody has to make a sacrifice, it must be me. Ako na.
To you Noy, I began the campaign to sow the seeds para sa pagbabago at reporma. Di kami maghihiwalay ni Noy. I will stand with him.
Mahal na mahal ko po, mahal na mahal ko po ang ating bayan. Di rin tayo maghihiwalay. Itutuloy natin ang pagbabago sa ating bansa. Itutuloy natin ang laban para sa reporma.
Kay Noy at sa aking mga kababayan, bayan bago ang sarili. Di ko kayo pababayaan. Lalaban tayo.
Also today, a new public opinion poll found Nacionalista Party standard bearer Manny Villar leading other so-called presidentiables.
Update 1: ABS-CBN has posted the full transcript of Roxas’ remarks.
Update 2: Jenny Bugarin of Sen. Roxas’ office emailed me the senator’s full statement and I am sharing this with you here:
Country Above Self
Sen. MAR Roxas
1 September 2009Country above self. Bayan bago ang sarili.
Iyan ang habilin ng aking lolo, President Manuel Roxas.
Our nation is in trouble. Leadership is bankrupt. Institutions are in disarray. People are hungry.
Noynoy Aquino and I share the same outrage over the mess we are all in, the same way we share the solution—clean, honest, selfless public service.
Marami at matindi ang mga problema ng bansa. Kailangan nating ayusin. Matindi ang kalaban. We need a determined force for good far stronger than the festering evil around us.
We need to fight just as our own fathers fought dictatorship, and just as both died believing that good will conquer evil.
Noynoy and I want to make a difference, but we also know that we need to unite to achieve what we want.
I am the President of the Liberal Party.
It is within my power to preside over a potentially divisive process or to make the party a bridge for the forces of change. I choose to lead unity, not division. Bilang pinuno ng aking Partido, magdedesisyon ako.
Mahal ko ang Partido Liberal. My grandfather founded it. My father led it during the most difficult times of Martial Law. Sa harap ng peligro, sa kabila ng napakaraming tukso—hindi siya sumuko.
He inspired me—to stay the course, to fight the good fight, to pass the test of true character. To believe.
Over the weekend, Noynoy and I had many long conversations… Masinsinang usapan. We agreed: Let us forget about ourselves for a moment. This is not about us, this is about our people and our country. This is about our common dream. The dream of our parents.
But let us not remain a country of dreamers. Tama na ang pangarap. Gawin na natin, ngayon.
Today, I am announcing my support for the candidacy of Noynoy Aquino for President in 2010.
Noy has made it clear to me that he wants to carry the torch of leadership.
The passing of our beloved former President Aquino has reawakened a passion among us. I acknowledge this as fuel to bring us to the realization of our dream: Good will triumph over evil.
Ito na ang pinakamabigat na desisyon sa buhay ko. Maniwala man kayo o hindi, ginagawa ko ito para sa bayan, para sa inyo. I do this for unity in support of change. And if that means that somebody must make the sacrifice, it must be me. Ako na.
To you Noy, I say: I began the campaign to sow the seeds para sa pagbabago at reporma. You must now be the one to grow them in the arena of leadership.
Hindi kami maghihiwalay ni Noy. I will stand with him.
At sa aking mga kababayan, sa mga nagtiwala sa akin: Mahal na mahal ko po kayo. Mahal na mahal ko po ang ating bayan. Hindi rin tayo maghihiwalay. Itutuloy natin ang pagbabago sa ating bansa. Itutuloy natin ang laban para sa reporma!
Kay Noy, at sa aking mga kababayan: Country above self! Bayan bago sarili!
Hindi ko kayo pababayaan! Lalaban tayo!