Grace vows to thwart ‘executioner Rody,’ won’t quit race

MANILA, Philippines - “I will not sell out. I will not sell the dreams of our countrymen.”

Sen. Grace Poe yesterday quelled rumors of her withdrawal from the presidential race and vowed to win the May 9 elections to put a stop to what she called the “disturbing” rise of frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte.

Poe saw her campaign eclipsed by a surge in Duterte’s popularity.  She called for a news conference yesterday to shoot down speculations that she would pull out and support administration candidate Manuel Roxas II.

Duterte was the top choice of 33 percent of Filipinos in the latest Pulse Asia survey published on Tuesday, with Poe at 21 percent.

Roxas got 22 percent and moved into the second spot for the first time since June of last year.

Roxas declared the contest is now a two-way race between him and Duterte, which has sparked rumors that Poe would bow out.

“To those who are saying that I should give way, what gives you the right to say that our choices should only be limited to two candidates?” Poe asked.

“I’m not a member of a syndicate who enters into dealings. I will not sell out. I will not sell the dreams of our countrymen.”

Poe said she was not bothered by the drop in her standing in the surveys because in the end, it is the vote of the people that would count and not the pre-election polls.

Poe used a stronger tone and took aim at Roxas for working in a failed government and said Duterte’s “disturbing” talk of extrajudicial killings had to be stopped.

“It is not right that our choices be limited to a failing, callous and slow government... or a government run by an executioner,” Poe said.

“And I feel, especially now, that they are doing everything to condition the minds of the people and we should not allow this to happen,” she added.

Poe said that the candidate with the strongest political machinery would not necessarily end up on top.

“And whoever is chosen by the people should be respected by all candidates,” she said.

Poe continues to get support from various groups, including 23 local officials in Batangas, Laguna and Quezon.

Two groups separately placed advertisements in major newspapers yesterday committing support for Poe and her platform of government with compassion. 

But the groups ditched Poe’s runningmate, Sen. Francis Escudero, as they vowed support for Liberal Party vice presidential candidate Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo. The other group expressed support for Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Elizabeth Angsioco, national chairman of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines, former senators Leticia Ramos-Shalani and Santanina Rasul led the 40 representatives from education, business and youth sectors supporting the Poe-Robredo tandem.

In a paid ad, the group said they support Poe and Marcos in the belief that they share their calls to rid the country of graft and corruption, illegal drugs and illegal gambling and promote of peace and order, among other advocacies.

Robbie Pierre Roco, president of Aksyon Demokratiko, said 23 mayors, mostly incumbents, together with their vice mayors, also signed a manifesto in support of Poe for president.  – With Marvin Sy, Christina Mendez, Arnell Ozaeta