Poe-Chiz tandem finalized

MANILA, Philippines - It’s a tandem in need of a political party, but Sen. Grace Poe is the first presidential hopeful in 2016 to have a running mate.

Poe’s team-up with fellow senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero for the general elections has been sealed.

She is scheduled to announce her presidential bid today before family and friends at the Balay ng Alumni at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.

Poe’s announcement will end speculations on her political plans, and likely turn the 2016 presidential derby into a three-cornered fight with Vice President Jejomar Binay and the administration’s standard-bearer, former interior secretary Manuel Roxas II.

Sources said Poe would formally endorse Escudero as her running mate tomorrow at the Club Filipino in San Juan.

“Sen. Chiz Escudero will make an announcement on Sept. 17, 2015, 10 a.m. at the Kalayaan Hall of Club Filipino,” the senator’s office said in an advisory.

Escudero is preparing his acceptance speech, sources added.

A media advisory sent by Poe’s office said the senator “will make an important announcement in connection with her plans for the 2016 national elections.”

Florencio Noel, former representative of the party-list group An Waray, said yesterday that the event was organized by different groups supporting Poe’s candidacy.

“As chairman of An Waray, which is part of the GP for President movement, I am hoping and praying that she will declare her intention to be our president in 2016,” he said.

Noel said members of Poe’s family led by veteran actress Susan Roces and the senator’s friends and classmates from grade school to college were invited to the 6 p.m. UP event.

“Some politicians, including congressmen will also be there,” he said.

Officers of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) led by Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao, its president, were scheduled yesterday to hold a press conference to announce Poe’s declaration of her presidential candidacy.

However, at the last minute, they cancelled it without any explanation.

Noel said Poe would meet the press at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan on Thursday “hopefully to announce her running mate.”

She had repeatedly stated that if she decides to run for president, Sen. Francis Escudero would be her vice presidential candidate.

The two, together or separately, have been going around the country.

Sen. Sergio Osmeña III downplayed the Poe-Chiz tandem, saying it was expected since Poe has been gunning for the presidency despite the efforts of President Aquino and other members of the Liberal Party to get her as Roxas’ vice president.

“Bale wala lang. It doesn’t  matter. You will not remember that one month from now,” Osmeña said. 

“It doesn’t matter. It’s like you are asking me should I go to the bathroom at 3 a.m... to me it’s not significant so don’t ask me for comment, because to me it’s not significant,” he added.

Senate President Franklin Drilon said he has long seen the Poe-Escudero tandem as a done deal after receiving reports from various sources. 

Drilon had early on said that Poe is running for president based on the “writings on the wall.”

Drilon brushed aside any possible threat from the Poe-Escudero tandem as he exuded confidence for Roxas as the administration-backed LP standard bearer.

“We will build our own strength and not rely on anyone,” Drilon said when asked about the upcoming team-up of Poe and Escudero.

Drilon also downplayed Osmeña’s advice to Roxas to stay away from President Aquino, whose statements on the “alternative truth” on the Mamasapano raid and his stance against tax reforms might affect Roxas’ presidential bid.

“All of these are speculations. One week is too long in politics,” he added. “Surveys are just indications. Do not isolate one survey, look at the trend.”

With his resignation from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Roxas will now be free to go around and “nobody can say he is using government resources,” Drilon said.

Mar will decide

According to Drilon, LP vice-chairman, Roxas has been conducting serious talks with four potential running mates to complete their slate for 2016. 

The long senatorial list is also being reviewed by LP officers, he added.

“My information is that Mar (Roxas) is talking to each of them. I do not exactly know the status of the discussion. The President has advised us to give Mar a prerogative to state his preference and then we ratify,” Drilon said.

“Discussions are taking place between Mar and four potential vice presidential pairings, although Sen. (Antonio) Trillanes (IV) said he will support somebody else. So we had the consensus, we let Mar personally handle the process and he will express to us his decision,” Drilon added.

“Since he (Roxas) is the candidate, he should be comfortable with his partner,” he added.

Drilon said the LP has reversed the process where Roxas will nominate and the body will support his choice. – Jess Diaz