Poe, Escudero assure partnership remains strong

STA. MARIA, Pangasinan – The tandem of independent candidates Senators Grace Poe and Francis “Chiz” Escudero remains solid amid perceived fallout following Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada’s decision to solely

support his goddaughter.

Escudero said his longtime friendship and comradeship with Poe cannot be broken amid perceived breakaway between after they were seen campaigning separately in the past few days.

“It is not true and it won’t happen,” he said when asked about the supposed “silent war” between him and his standard bearer.

“Of all the tandems, we have the longest comradeship and we together braved a lot of challenges. Not like the other tandems who only got acquainted just now,” Escudero said.

Escudero recalled his long-time ties with Poe when he served as spokesman of late Fernando Poe Jr. during the so-called fraud-stricken 2004 polls.

“Any attempts to break our tandem and friendship won’t prosper,” he said.

Poe also denied claims that there was silent war between her and Escudero.

Escudero was not able to join Poe during the Partido Galing at Puso (PGP) sorties in Batangas and Laguna. It was only yesterday that the two were seen together campaigning in Pangasinan, where Poe landed number 1 during the 2013 senatorial polls.

“It is natural that sometimes, you can’t be together with your tandem because you try to reach the whole country,” she said.

Poe said when she is campaigning, she ensures that he mentions Escudero.

Escudero said he understands Estrada’s decision not to support him and endorse vice- presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

He took a swipe at Estrada for saying that he did not support Escudero’s bid because the veteran senator did not do anything to benefit Manila during his stay in the Upper Chamber.

“Better to ask his bet about what he did for Manila,” Escudero said, referring to his closest rival, Marcos.

Poe said they are expected to campaign in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), Davao, and Camarines Sur.

She said they will again barnstorm vote-rich Cebu and Negros.

In a campaign rally in Asingan yesterday, former Sen. Leticia Ramos Shahani, sister of former President Fidel Ramos, and her son former Sen. Ranjit Shahani endorsed Poe-Escudero tandem.

Both Poe and Escudero agreed that the campaign machinery of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) is working to boost their candidacy.

Meanwhile, Poe appealed to critics not to sow confusion after the Supreme Court was asked to reconsider its decision on her citizenship case.

“They are just sowing confusion. The Supreme Court already decided. This is a case, not a question on constitutionality so there is no need for absolute majority,” Poe told reporters.

Veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal has asked the High Court to urgently rule on a motion for reconsideration of the Senate Electoral Tribunal’s (SET) decision filed by Rizalito David.