Saying she has successfully conquered cancer, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago said she will join the presidential race and run for the highest government position in the May 2016 national elections.
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According to The Inquirer, she said the Philippines will be a “much better country” if she became president.
Asked why she chose to run, the senator had this to say: “I will run because I already gotten over my bout of cancer and there’s nothing left to do”.
Santiago said she will file her COC on Friday and run under her own party People’s Reform Party.
“I can not say under the law that I will run for president but I am allowed to say that I am running for office”, Santiago said. “It’s like cancer”, Santiago said in her speech during the meet-and-greet event for her book “Stupid is Forevermore” in Makati. Today, this country suffers from the malaise of plunder… We will be running together.
So far, Senators Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Antonio Trillanes IV and Alan Peter Cayetano are among those who have already declared their intention to run as vice president but who still are unattached to a presidential aspirant. “I can not give the answer because his wife might scold him”, she said. This was also her first public appearance since March.
Santiago placed 7th in the latest Standard Poll, with 7% voters’ preference among 8 candidates included in the survey conducted by Laylo Research Strategies of pollster Pedro “Junie” Laylo Jr from September 21 to October 1, 2015. But the feisty senator said she already overcame the disease. Grace Poe, among others.
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During her book signing, Santiago’s staff wore red shirts indicating “Miriam 2016”.
