At least 2 opposition senators may back Poe’s presidential bid

At least two opposition senators have pledged their support for Sen. Grace Poe if she runs for president in 2016.

At least two to three senators who belong to the minority bloc in the Senate might throw their support for Sen. Grace Poe if she runs for president in 2016.

“Kapag natuloy si Grace Poe, everybody knows na hindi ako pwedeng humiwalay,” acting Senate Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said in an interview on Friday.

Asked then if he would support Poe, Sotto said: “Yes, I will support her if she runs for president.”

But if Poe would not join the presidential race next year, the senator said he could either go for former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Vice President Jejomar Binay or Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.

Though he belongs to the minority bloc in the Senate, Sotto explained that he was not part of Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) since he was a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition. And thus, the senator expects the Vice President to understand his decision to support Poe, who has yet to declare whether or not to run for president.

“Oo kasi alam nya (Binay) na hindi kami pwedeng maghiwalay kay Grace. It’s a family thing,” he said.

If he would back Poe’s presidential bid, Sotto said, Sen. Gringo Honasan, another opposition member, might also go with him.

Senators Vicente Sotto III and Gregorio Honasan

“Hindi kami naghihiwalay nun,” he said of Honasan, interim vice president of UNA.

“I’m not really sure about Greg pero sabi ko nga hindi kami naghihiwlay nun e,” he further said.

Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, also a member of the opposition group, earlier gave his tacit endorsement for Poe in a speech during the 117th Independence Day celebration in San Juan City on Friday morning.

“Our relationship is now stronger since we have started working in the Senate. I have since seen better how much she loves the country. We treat each other as siblings. Because of this, political ambitions will not destroy our bond, unlike other politicians who will compromise their relationships,” Ejercito said in Filipino.

Sen. JV Ejercito

“So if our guest of honor wants to run in next year’s elections, by now you can already expect—because of her principles and beliefs which I have witnessed during our work in the Senate—but let’s keep it a secret,” he said.

“Nagkakaintidihan na tayo kapatid, alam mo na ’yun (You already know what I mean, sister).”

READ: JV Ejercito, mom back Poe for president

The three other members of the Senate minority group are detained Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, and Nancy Binay. RC