Grace Poe’s survey lead may be Binay’s ‘saving grace,’ says new UNA spox

Senator Grace Poe. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/RAFFY LERMA

Recent presidential surveys showing Sen. Grace Poe as the top potential candidate may be the “saving grace” of Vice President Jejomar Binay, the new spokesman of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) said on Saturday.

Comparing the senator to the supposed case of Binay, ex-broadcast journalist and former Cainta Mayor Mon Ilagan said Poe may be the subject of tirades now that she is the frontrunner.

“Baka ito pong nangyayari ngayon at number one si Sen. Grace Poe ay maging saving grace for Vice President Jejomar Binay, sapagkat noong siya ang number one sa survey talagang binabato. So ngayong [si Senator Poe] ang number one po baka sa kanya po mangyari,” he said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer 990AM.

READ: Grace Poe now leads presidential survey; Binay falls to second | SWS: Grace Poe tops Binay as most preferred Aquino successor

Ilagan attributed the corruption allegations and other issues being thrown against the Vice President to the latter’s performance in presidential polls.

“Ang naging kasalanan lang ni VP Binay for the past nine months, siya ang nag-top sa survey. Kapag ang puno eh namumunga talaga, ito po talaga eh pinupukol,” he said.

Despite sliding to second place in the latest Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations surveys, Ilagan said there’s no stopping Binay from running in the 2016 presidential elections.

“Sa aking pagsama sa kanya, palagi niyang sinasabi na ano mang mangyari sa kanya, ang VP Binay ay hindi aatras at hindi umaatras sa laban,” he said. “Hindi po nasisiraan ng loob. Mas lalong nacha-challenge.”

READ: Binay says fall in presidential survey a ‘wake-up call’ | Binay: Rating wake-up call; Poe: I’m humbled

Citing the possibility of “cross-party lines,” Ilagan added that UNA has been looking into new strategies to strengthen and expand its network. He said the party would have an assembly on July 1 probably at Makati Coliseum: “Dito po mas magkakaroon ng direksyon, mas patatatagin ang UNA bilang isang partido oposisyon.”