A MEMBER of the ruling Liberal Party is hoping that actor Dingdong Dantes will back the presidential bid of former Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II in 2016.
Quezon City Representative Alfred Vargas, also an actor, said Thursday that he is hopeful that his friend Dantes will stick with the administration amid rumors that he will be joining the camp of Roxas' rival, Senator Grace Poe.
“I’m confident, Dong (Dantes) will remain with the Daang Matuwid Program. Nandito na ang lahat ng sangkap kay Secretary Mar, wala na siyang ibang dapat hanapin kung performance at integridad lang ang labanan,” said Vargas.
He expressed confidence that Dantes will base his endorsement on a candidate's achievement and performance and not on sheer popularity.
“I know him since grade school (at Ateneo de Manila University), matalino yan si Dong, sa performance yan tumitingin at hindi sa kasikatan lamang,” said Vargas.
Dantes, Commissioner-at-Large for the National Youth Commission (NYC), and his wife, actress Marian Rivera, supported the tandem of President Benigno Aquino III and Roxas in 2010.
Roxas lost the vice presidency to Binay, who recently said some celebrities are also supportive of his presidential run.
Though he refused to give names, Vargas said a number of personalities in the entertainment industry have committed to back Roxas' campaign.
“Let’s just wait and see. In proper time lalabas na din sila to show their support for Secretary Roxas,” said Vargas.
Roxas' numbers in pre-election polls zoomed this month as a Social Weather Stations survey showed him in a statistical tie with Poe and Binay.
Poe still ranked first with 26 percent followed by Binay with 24 percent while Roxas got 20 percent. (Sunnex)