In his first stop during his visit around Iligan and Misamis Oriental today (February 3), Mar Roxas met with local leaders and residents in Iligan City.

He attended a multi-sectoral assembly at the Congressional District Field office in Pala-o, Iligan City where he served as the guest of honor and keynote speaker.

Members of different sectors--transport group, religious leaders, and indigenous people came to see Roxas and show their support.

Local leaders including Cong. Vicente Belmonte Jr. of the lone district of Iligan, former Iligan mayor Lawrence Cruz, Vice Mayor  Rudy Marzo and ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman came to the assembly.  
Iligan City is important to Mar Roxas because he was number one here when he ran for senator, said Iligan vice-mayor and mayoralty candidate Rudy Marzo following the visit of Liberal Party presidential bet Mar Roxas yesterday (February 3) to meet residents and LP local candidates in Iligan City.

When asked about Mar's candidacy as vice-president in 2010, Marzo said that Mar did not win in Iligan because vice-presidency is not his rightful place. The campaign concentrated on the LP presidential candidate and the people forgot him, he added.

Marzo also said that Duterte is the biggest threat to Mar in Iligan. 

However, Marzo added that Iligan is a bailiwick of Liberal Party because most of the prominent politicians are under LP.
Iligan City plus the twenty-two municipalities of the province of Lanao del Norte hold half a million votes.