Poe candidacy won’t affect local LP’s bet for president
SEN. Grace Poe’s declaration that she is running for president will have no bearing on the Liberal Party (LP) in Cebu Province, according to the party’s provincial chairman.
Gov. Hilario Davide III said they were expecting her to run anyway, adding that they are ready to face any candidates who may ally themselves with the senator and her runningmate, Sen. Chiz Escudero.
However, the governor said they had hoped she would run as vice president of LP standardbearer former Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas.
With this development, it looks like next year’s presidential contest will be a three-way fight between Poe, Roxas and Vice President Jejomar Binay of the United Nationalist Alliance.
Not in Cebu
Asked if Poe’s candidacy might split the votes for the LP, Davide said it can happen because the senator is also running under the plat- form of good governance, but the LP in Cebu is united behind Roxas.
Davide said Poe and Roxas share the same objective, but Roxas was the DILG secretary.
“He (Roxas) was really part of the President’s ‘ Daang Matuwid’ and will continue the reforms initiated by the President,” he said.
Asked who might be Roxas’s running mate, Davide mentioned Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.
The governor, though, said he prefers Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, widow of the late DILG secretary Jesse Robredo.
“Sa akong (In my) personal view, somebody nga kasaligan (who is trustworthy), capable and honest, dunay (somebody who has) integrity ba,” Davide said.