Escudero ‘seriously considering’ 2016 run

Sen. Francis Escudero. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero said he is ‘seriously considering’ running in 2016.

But Escudero, who has been consistently leading the vice presidential surveys, said he has no final decision yet until now.

This was the reason he gave to Senate President Franklin Drilon when he tendered his resignation as chairman of the Senate committee on finance and the joint congressional oversight committee on public expenditures.

READ: Citing ‘delicadeza,’ Escudero quits as head of 2 Senate panels

“Ang rason na binigay ko sa kanya ay delicadeza dahil seryosong pinag-iisipan ko ang pagtakbo sa 2016 at hindi naman kaila ‘yun,” Escudero told reporters on Tuesday.

(The reason I gave him was delicadeza because I’m seriously considering running in 2016 and that can’t be denied.)

‘Ayokong mabahiran ng anumang alegasyon, ang anuman pagpapasaring na ‘yung budget ay nagagamit o ginagamit para sa partikular na interest na pampulitika or partisan political activity…”

(I don’t want the budget to be tainted with allegations that the budget is being used or it was used for partisan political activity)

The senator said he would rather resign out of delicadeza than be accused of using the two panels to further whatever political pans that he has for 2016.

Escudero said that unlike other ordinary committees, the two panels are considered “powerful” in Congress.

“Kaya siguro ‘yung mga ibang tatakbo at nagpaplanong tumakbo, hindi naman kailangang magbitiw sa kanilang tungkulin pero dahil nga budget, pananalapi, allocation at resources ang usapin dito, mas minabuti ko nang (mag-resign) sa ngalan ng delicadeza,” he said.

(That’s why maybe some of those who are running or planning to run do not need to resign from their post but because the issue here is finances, allocations and resources, I chose to resign out of delicadeza.)

But the senator reiterated that while he is seriously considering running in 2016, he has no final decision yet.

Asked what was keeping him from joining next year’s elections, Escudero pointed to three things: money, machinery and political party.

“’Yung may pera, makinarya nga at partido hindi pa nagde-deklara at nag-aanunsyo, ako pa kaya na wala ng tatlong ‘yun so mas maraming kailangan pagpasyahan at timabangin. Bagong kasal pa ako kaya’t dagdag na timbangin din ‘yun,” he said.

(How could I declare my plans when there are those who have money, machinery and party but have not yet declared theirs? The fact that I am newly married is another thing I am considering.)

Escudero married actress Heart Evangelista in February 15, 2015.

READ: Escudero more certain about 2015 ‘walk’ than 2016 run

He clarified thought that despite his resignation from the two panels, he would remain in the majority bloc of the Senate and he would continue to support President Benigno Aquino III and his reform agenda. IDL