No 2016 plans yet for PNoy party

MANILA, Philippines - Pres. Benigno Aquino III is not yet mulling over a potential candidate who would succeed him in 2016 even if Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay is already reportedly considering Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos as his running mate in the next elections.

Presidential Communications Sec. Herminio Coloma Jr. said for now, the Aquino administration remains focused on implementing programs for economic development and social reform to bring inclusive growth.

"Iyan po ang focus; wala pong kaisipan ngayon na hinggil sa pulitika. Ipaubaya na lang po natin iyan sa iba," Coloma said in an interview over radio DWIZ.

The Palace official also mentioned an interview of Aquino with women journalists in December 2013, when the President said Interior and Local Government Sec. Mar Roxas was not yet being groomed by the Liberal Party as its presidential bet for 2016.

Roxas was Aquino's running mate in 2010 but lost to Binay.

On Sunday, an online report said Binay is now eyeing an alliance with Santos for the 2016 presidential polls.

According to the report, Binay admitted in an interview with TV5 that everyone is "worth considering" to be his running mate including the actress-turned-politician.

But in the same report, Binay said a decision for the 2016 elections will be too early for now.

The STAR reported on Saturday that Binay is leaving the Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas (PDP)-Laban to form a new political party that is expected to carry him as its  standard-bearer.

Read: Binay leaving PDP-Laban

Binay, who has made no secret of his plan to run for president, will formally launch the new party on June 12, Philippine Independence Day.

He is the national chairman of the PDP-Laban currently headed by Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III as party president.