Poe grateful for Noy encouragement on her presidential bid

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Grace Poe said yesterday she is grateful to President Aquino for encouraging her to pursue her bid for the presidency despite a disqualification case filed aainst her before the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET).

“I am very touched that the President is sympathizing with my position. There’s a reason why President Aquino continues to enjoy a strong mandate and the approval of our fellow countrymen,” Poe said in a statement.

The President’s statement that the people should be allowed to have a final say on Poe’s case came amid reports that he is supporting Poe’s bid secretly. The Palace has denied this.

“With his statement he’s showing that beyond the colors of politics, he believes in protecting the integrity of a free and fair democratic elections,” Poe said.

“I sincerely believe that until his last day as President he will continue to do his best to uphold the will of the people,” she said.

In her official declaration of her presidential plans last week, Poe also credited President Aquino for his strong campaign against corruption and professed her commitment to continue the platform of daang matuwid if she gets elected president.

In her statement, Poe also thanked the people for their support as reflected in the second Social Weather Stations survey, which showed her ahead among presidential candidates in popularity ratings, followed by Vice President Jejomar Binay and Manuel Roxas II.

“I thank our countrymen for their continued confidence in me and my performance and hopes for the country. I’m looking forward to the succeeding surveys where the respondents are already aware of my intention to run and have also had a preview of the programs I wish to promote and support,” she said.

Poe topped the latest SWS survey with 26 percent, followed by Binay with 24 percent and Roxas, 20 percent. 

Meanwhile, her running mate Sen. Francis Escudero advised her first cousin actress Sheryl Cruz to keep her misunderstanding with the senator within the family.

Escudero said he would not be surprised if it would turn out later that somebody was behind Cruz’s announcing last Tuesday her unwillingness to have her DNA matched with Poe’s, as well her doubts on the wisdom of a Poe presidency.

Cruz was also quoted in the news as saying that she wanted to spare her mother, veteran actress Rosemarie Sonora, from controversy.

Poe was rumored to be Rosemarie’s daughter out of wedlock.

“I thank Sheryl for her opinion and concern for us. As family, we will continue to give her the love and respect she deserves,” Poe said in a reaction to Cruz’s statement.

Escudero said he’d rather not meddle in the issue involving Poe and her relatives as things might get out of hand.

“I will no longer be surprised but as much as possible, I don’t want to meddle and be involved in this because in the end they might patch things and leave me as their only enemy,” he said.

Escudero said he found himself in a similar situation in 2013 when the parents of his then girlfriend, now wife, actress Heart Evangelista, declared on national television their objection to their daughter’s romance with the senator.

He also declined to comment on Cruz’s statement that Poe was not yet ripe for the presidency.