Raul Roco 2004 Presidential Campaign

The 2004 presidential campaign of Raul Roco was launched when he filed his certificate of candidacy on December 30, 2003. This is Roco's second attempt to chase the presidency.

Pre-election

By mid-2003, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was poised to run for president in 2004 elections. Raul Roco was offered by Arroyo to be his running mate, but he declined, and insisted her to run as his vice president instead.

On selection of running-mate after calling out Arroyo, Roco is considering former Cebu governor Lito Osmeña, Senators Noli de Castro, Loren Legarda and Manny Villar and Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando as his running mate. But he chose former Tarlac Vice Governor Hermie Aquino.

He also revealed the party's Agenda of Hope on December 1, 2003.

Senate slate

During the December 1 convention, Aksyon nominated 19 personalities for their senatorial ticket: Rene de Villa, de Villa's former running mate Oscar Orbos, Senator Rodolfo Biazon, former transportation and communications secretaries Josie Lichauco, former Pasay congresswoman Lorna Verano-Yap, former agriculture secretary Leonardo Montemayor, police Chief Superintendent Romeo Maganto, former assemblyman Emil Ong, former solicitor general Frank Chavez, bowling champion Bong Coo, retired Gen. Rodolfo Gutang, Lanao del Sur congressman Dimaporo Ramos, Sulu congressman Arden Anni, Misamis Oriental Congressman Oscar Moreno, economist and their 2001 senatorial candidate Monsod, broadcasters Pia Cayetano,TV personality Jay Sonza and Melanio "Batas" Mauricio, and Christy Ramos, daughter of former President Fidel Ramos.

Roco's Aksyon forged an alliance with de Villa's Partido Reporma, and Lito Osmeña's PROMDI to form their ''Alyansa ng Pag-asa'' slate. But the final senate slate was reduced into only, seven with Coo, Nicanor Gatmaytan Jr., Nueva Ecija politician Eduardo Nonato Joson, Mauricio, Sonza, and former bureaucrat Perfecto Yasay selected in the slate, with the inclusion of Chavez from Reporma.

The slate was nickanamed JC JC GaBaY, with J for Jay Sonza, C for Chavez, J for Joson, C for Coo, Ga for Gatmaytan, Ba for Batas Mauricio, and Y for Yasay.

Surveys and support to alliance

Roco performed second to third in surveys, but due to his health problem or prostate cancer suffering, he needs to go overseas for treatment. Unfortunately for him and the party, some of the supporters left his campaign, and insisted that he will not backout. Also, the party feared vote buying initiated by President Arroyo's Lakas–CMD.

Result

Roco and the whole Alyansa lost the election, but he later called out Arroyo about her controversial election victory.

In August 2005, Roco died at the age of 63.

References

{{Candidates in the Philippine presidential election, 2004

2004 Philippine presidential election
Election campaigns in the Philippines