MANILA–Administration presidential bet Manuel “Mar” Roxas on Tuesday conceded defeat to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and wished him success even as he profusely thanked all his supporters for sticking with him till the end.
“Let us start the process of nation building. Let us respect and accept the will of the people. It is clear that Mayor Duterte is the winner of this elections,” he said at a jampacked Liberal Party headquarters in Quezon City.
“Digong, I wish you success. Ang iyong tagumpay ay tagumpay ng ating bansa,” Roxas said.
In the meantime, an emotional but serene Roxas expressed his profound gratitude to all the people who had supported him and his running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo.
“I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our countrymen who have supported me and Leni in all our sorties; to those who trusted us and the principles that we stood for; and to all of you who took up the cudgels, na kasama kong tumayo sa laban na ito,” he said.
He also thanked President Benigno S. Aquino III and his family, the LP and their allies, the civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations as well as ordinary folks and volunteers who make up the “silent majority.”
“Hindi kayo bumitaw, naninidigan kayo, sumama kayo hanggang sa dulo. Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat,” Roxas said.
“I read somewhere that it is not the battle or conquest that we remember, but the soldiers who stood beside us who we treasure the most. Sa inyong lahat, maraming-marming salamat! Hindi ko kayo makakalimutan,” he said.
“Mga kababayan, isang walang kapantay na karangalan na maging tagapagwagayway ng ating bandila. To have carried our flag; to have fought the good fight; to have kept the faith; to have finished the race,” Roxas said.