Why not Roxas as Poe’s vice president?

For love of country, outgoing Interior Secretary Mar Roxas should again make that painful sacrifice of sliding down to being Sen. Grace Poe’s running mate. Before 2010, Roxas was in hot pursuit of the presidency until former president Cory Aquino passed away. Her death brought so much grief upon the entire nation and public clamor started building up for her son, Noynoy, to pick up where she left off. The handwriting was on the wall.

Roxas did the right thing by yielding to Noynoy. Had Roxas remained adamant, there is no doubt former president Joseph “Erap” Estrada (a convicted plunderer) would have made it back to Malacañang! The same handwriting, now in bolder letters, is back on the wall. Public sentiment points to Poe as the country’s only foil against the threat of Vice President Jejomar Binay becoming the next president, a man with a string of plunder charges dangling around his neck. Still reeling from too much corruption, the country needs such a leader like a hole in the head!

Sen. Serge Osmeña is wrong for suggesting that Poe should settle for the vice presidency for now; that she could use the on-the-job-training to hone her skills and prepare for her own succession to the presidency after Roxas; that Roxas’ wealth of experience in public service is undisputed; that there is still time to drum up mass support for his presidential run (“Poe sure presidential winner in 2022,” Inquirer.net, 7/15/15).

With due respect, that’s not going to happen, even with the help of Poe’s “sheen.” Let’s face it: Roxas may be a good man and all, but his continued status as a “cellar-dweller” in the surveys confirms that many people find him uninteresting! But as Poe’s running mate instead, he is virtually without competition.

Poe’s lack of experience is a nonissue. The late Cory Aquino was just a “plain housewife” when she took over the reins of government. She came straight from a “convent” before taking her oath as president of the country in turmoil. Poe has been a senator for three years. While that may not be enough, she could put Roxas in full harness to help her run things. Presidents do that all the time. Under normal conditions, Osmeña’s idea might be brilliant. But desperate times require desperate measures!

On her part, Poe needs to dump Sen. Chiz Escudero, also for love of country. We know she told us they are inseparable. But wasn’t it written somewhere: Loyalty to friends ends where loyalty to the country begins? We are sure Escudero will understand. Besides, his “star” campaigner (Heart Evangelista) doesn’t seem so enthused yet about hitting the road with him to make “halubilo” with her fans all over the country!

—ULYSSES BERMUDEZ UY, [email protected]