Conrado de Quiros, Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist, was reported to have caused broadcaster Korina Sanchez to be emotional in her DZMM interview September 2. Sanchez cried as she defended her fiance, Senator Mar Roxas, from criticisms hurled by de Quiros. Sanchez is asking de Quiros to apologize for his statement that presidential aspirants are hungry for power.
De Quiros told pep.ph in an exclusive phone interview September 3, that his statement was taken out of context. He explained that someone asked him what he thought was Noynoy Aquino's edge from the other presidentiables. He answered, "Madali lang 'yan, makikita naman natin, e. Lahat ng ibang kandidato'–to use 'yong word na ginamit ni Ms. Susan Roces–'lahat ng mga nandoon, makikita mo naman medyo atat na atat tumakbo.'"
De Quiros explained that he wasn't specifically referring to Mar Roxas, but rather it was a general statement. According to de Quiros, "In fact, lahat ng presidentiables–very particular to the character of the current president in Malacañang–atat na atat sa power, ayaw umalis. But it is, in fact, also a reference to other candidates–talagang atat na atat sila sa power. "
"If she's asking me for an apology for something like that, sabi ko, 'Bakit ako mag-a-apologize samantalang what I was saying naman is something I thought was true.' And to this day naman, ang feeling ko, tama naman ang sinasabi ko, so I won't apologize for those things," de Quiros told pep.ph.
Roxas withdrew from the presidential race on September 1, to give way to party-mate Senator Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III as the standard bearer of the Liberal Party in the 2010 presidential elections.
