Don’t count out Noy’s endorsing power

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang yesterday dismissed talk that the slaughter of 44 police commandos in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25 had significantly diminished President Aquino’s power to endorse a presidential candidate in 2016.

Speaking over state-owned dzRB radio, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. also rejected observations that Aquino is experiencing his worst political crisis in five years as President.

“We still have more than one year before the 2016 elections,” Coloma said in Filipino. “It’s better to wait for the nation’s decision.”

Coloma said the observations were premature.

“We still need to prove if the speculations have basis,” he said in Filipino. “At present, the President has not implied anything about any endorsement. Any talk about it is speculation.”

Aquino has continued to play coy over his preferred presidential candidate in 2016.

It is an open secret that the Liberal Party’s presumptive standard-bearer is Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II.

However, surveys show Vice President Jejomar Binay remains the frontrunner in the presidential race.

Neophyte Sen. Grace Poe – daughter of the late movie icon and defeated presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. – ranks a close second.

Malacañang insiders say the Roxas camp has been courting Sen. Grace Poe to be the administration’s vice presidential candidate.