MANILA, Philippines - Outgoing Sen. Manny Villar told his partymates in the Nacionalista Party (NP) who are aspiring for the presidency that it is still too early to discuss their plans for the May 2016 elections.
"We do not want to talk about 2016. My advice to my (party) members, if you are looking at 2016, wag kayong masyadong maaga," Villar said in a media forum on Tuesday.
Villar, currently the president of the NP, said his message is for all NP members, including Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
The son and namesake of the late President Ferdinand Marcos recently revealed that he “will definitely be running for something in 2016.â€
“I will be a candidate for something but you know, what is the definition of good luck? The way I learned it, good luck is being ready when the opportunity presents itself. So, who knows, I might be lucky in 2016,†Marcos said.
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The first-term senator, who is eligible for re-election, said he has not decided which position he would run for in the next polls.
Earlier this month, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada identified Marcos as a possible strong contender for the vice presidential post, along with Senators Chiz Escudero and Alan Cayetano, and Senator-elect Grace Poe.
Villar warned possible poll aspirants such as Marcos that winning as elected president is not easy.
"Madali mag-presidentiable mahirap maging president. Ang president is destiny," said Villar, who lost to President Benigno Aquino III in the 2010 presidential election.
"Parang sweepstakes yan ilagay mo lang yung pangalan mo sa tambiolo, kung ikaw yung mapipili mag-intay ka na kasi baka destiny yan. Pero wala namang masama na ilagay mo yung pangaln mo sa tambiolo, as I said I will encourage any member of the Nacionalista Party to try and put his name in the tambiolo," he added.
Villar placed third in the 2010 presidential election, behind then senator and now President Benigno Aquino III and former President Joseph Estrada. Villar was among the first to concede to Aquino.