Escudero on tandem with Poe: We have neither party nor money

Senator Chiz Escudero.  INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—While saying anything is possible, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero said both he and Senator Grace Poe have neither political group nor money to run a campaign in 2016.

Breaking his silence on Friday on the reported Poe-Escudero tandem in 2016, Escudero said he and Poe have not discussed the idea.

“Posible ba? Lahat naman siguro ay posible pero malayo nga iyon sa ngayon (Is it possible? I think everything is possible but right now, it’s still far),” Escudero said in a radio interview.

“Pwede bang mangyari? Ang limitasyon siguro naming dalawa pareho ay pareho din. Pareho kaming independent, wala kaming partido. At pareho kaming walang pera,” he said, followed by a hearty laugh.

“Pareho kaming walang partido at walang pera so hindi naman ganun kagaan at kadali ang mga pagpasya kaugnay nyan.”

(Is it possible? Perhaps we both have the same limitations. We are both independent. We have no party and we have no money. We both have not party and no omeny so it’s not easy to make that decision.)

Escudero said even the idea of running for vice president was not yet in his “radar.”

“Dahil natutunan ko sa kasaysayan natin, yung mga maagang nagpapalano, yun ang mga hindi natutuloy. Yung mga hindi nagpaplano, yun ang nagiging presidente,” he said in jest.

(History has taught me that those who plan early aren’t able to carry them out. Those who don’t plan are those who end up being presidents.)

Escudero was apparently referring to President Benigno Aquino III, who suddenly found himself being a presidential candidate, after his mother, former President Corazon Aquino died before the 2010 elections.

At that time, Escudero was also reported to have been eyeing the presidency but decided to throw his support behind Aquino.

The Poe-Escudero tandem was reported by various media outfits after the lady senator was reported to have supposedly expressed her openness to run with Escudero.

But Poe repeatedly clarified her statements, saying she and Escudero have no plans and have not even talked about the 2016 elections.

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