Arroyo expected to reap votes out of Roco

Malacañang expressed confidence yesterday that President Arroyo would reap the votes of the supporters of former education secretary Raul Roco should the ailing Alyansa ng Pag-asa presidential candidate withdraw from the May 10 race.

Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan sa Kinabukasan (K-4) campaign spokesman Michael Defensor made this fearless forecast as he took strong exception to claims by Bangon Pilipinas candidate Bro. Eddie Villanueva that the evangelist would be the main beneficiary of Roco’s withdrawal from the presidential race.

"We cannot totally discount the possibility that when one candidate pulls out, the people would choose their second most preferred candidate," he said.

Defensor believes that most of Roco’s supporters would go for Mrs. Arroyo because of the widespread perception that she is the "only one" among the other candidates who has a chance of beating Fernando Poe Jr.

He also cited Mrs. Arroyo and Roco’s shared experience "in pursuing reforms and changes."

Before he launched his candidacy, Roco was Mrs. Arroyo’s secretary of education.

Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye denied anew that the K-4 was trying to win over the so-called "orphans" in Roco’s camp.

Speaking over Radio Mindanao Network yesterday, Bunye said that the administration’s chief concern was to "pray for the continued recovery of Senator Roco."

"It is not nice to talk about what will happen to his followers and his group," he said. "At this time, our concern is the recovery of Senator Roco. We hope that in his medical findings, they would not find any big problem for him, and we are praying for his speedy recovery."