EDITORIAL - Roxas' dilemma

Senator Mar Roxas has a problem. The road to become the Liberal Party's official candidate for the May 2010 presidential elections has been rough lately.

A few months ago, it seemed Roxas has no problem securing his party's support for next year's elections. He already secured the party's trust and confidence that all he needs to do is to spruce up his image to fare well in surveys among presidential aspirants.

So to improve his image, he bombarded the television with his political campaign, which calls for Filipinos to take up the fight against corruption in government and poverty.

For Roxas, it's now or never for the highest post in the land. A scion of the wealthy clan and a grandson of a once president, he was the party's best choice for the presidential derby.

But after the death of former president Corazon Aquino, the tide has shifted against his favor. His glowing image among his partymates has been fading with the emergence of a dark horse.

There is now a snowballing clamor for Senator Noynoy Aquino to run for president. Many sectors wanted Noynoy, a partymate of Roxas, to continue the legacy of his parents. A Noynoy presidency, they say, would mean clean and transparent governance.

This scenario has divided the Liberal Party. Many of the party stalwarts are now supporting calls for Noynoy to run for president. In fact, some LP members floated a Noynoy-Mar tandem which, they claim, would be a very formidable force.

However, the son of the late senator and opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr. has yet to decide on the constant prodding. But he keeps the door wide open for a possible entry into the presidential derby.

Once Noynoy decides to run for president, it would be certainly a nightmare for Roxas, who would then have no choice except to submit his presidential ambitions to a party convention.

Noynoy has nothing to lose if the party eventually chooses Roxas. After all, he was just heeding a mere public uproar anchored on sympathy following the death of his mother.

But if the party opts to side with Noynoy, it would spell disaster for Roxas, who had already spent millions to improve his political image. It may also signal the end of Roxas's presidential ambitions.