Aquino asks Poe, Escudero for a meeting with Roxas

(UPDATE) The President met with Senators Grace Poe and Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Thursday and requested them to have a meeting with Interior Secretary Mar Roxas to keep the coalition intact in 2016.

Escudero and Poe separately confirmed meeting President Benigno Aquino III in Malacañang Thursday afternoon.

“Yes, it’s true and we will meet again as part of a continued consultation process,” Poe, who topped the latest presidential survey, said in a text message. She said there is no schedule yet of their next meeting with the President.

During the meeting, Escudero said the President talked about “keeping the coalition intact for 2016 by supporting a common bet.”

“He talked about continuing the reform. Pag tumuloy ang tuwid na daan malayo ang mararating ng bansa natin in a short span of time. Sabi n’ya sana, iisa lang ang kandidato natin (If the straight path continues, our country will get ahead in a short time),” Escudero said.

Asked if the President offered anything for him and Poe during the meeting, Escudero answered in the negative.

“Hindi naman kelangan ayusin ito ngayon lahat. Sana pag-isipan nyo pero sana isa lang ang kandidato ng grupo natin para hindi mahati (We don’t have to fix all of this now. Think about it so that our group would have only one candidate),” he said, still quoting the President.

Next meeting with Roxas

A well-placed Palace source told the Inquirer the talk lasted for five hours and the President made a request to the two senators to have a meeting with him and Roxas.

“The President and the two senators did not discuss who would run for President or Vice President under this coalition,” the source said, requesting anonymity for lack of authority to speak to the media.

It was Escudero who arrived first at Malacanang at 1:30 pm, followed by Poe more than an hour later, the source said.

This was the first time that the President met with Poe and Escudero together.

Poe topped the latest presidential survey, followed by Vice President Jejomar Binay, who has publicly declared his presidential bid. Roxas came in third in the surveys.

Poe, Roxas and Escudero have not announced their political plans for 2016.

Escudero emerged to be the top choice for vice president in the surveys if Poe will not  run for the post. TVJ

Originally posted as of 11:12 PM | Thursday, July 9, 2015