Senator Grace Poe. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JEOFFREY MAITEM
While her name was not particularly mentioned, Sen. Grace Poe reacted to President Benigno Aquino III’s statement during the endorsement of Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer and Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II that the public should vote for tried and tested leaders in the 2016 polls.
Poe, who has been leading recent presidential surveys, said ripening fruits last longer and get picked more often by consumers.
“Alam mo, hindi naman mapagkakaila na mas mahaba sa gobyerno si Secretary Mar. Sabi nga nila, hinog na raw. Pero ako naman kahit iyong nahihinog pa lamang, minsan pinipili ng mga tindera at mamimili sapagkat mas tumatagal,” Poe said in an interview with reporters.
(I don’t deny that Secretary Mar has been in government for a long time. As they say, he’s ripe for the picking. But if you ask me, fruits that are just starting to ripen are sometimes the ones chosen by sellers and consumers because they last longer.)
On Friday, Aquino alluded to untried leaders seeking higher office in 2016 as he formally anointed Roxas as the presidential candidate of the administration party in next year’s polls.
“Marahil may nag-isip baka ‘yung iba maaring ituloy ang nasimulan natin, baka ‘yung iba kaya panagutin ang mga tiwali, baka ‘yung iba maituloy ang paganda ng ekomomiya…ang serbisyong panlipunan, baka ‘yung iba manatili sa tuwid na daan. Ang sa akin lang po bakit tayo magpapaakit sa baka, kung meron namang sigurado?” Aquino asked.
(There may be others who are thinking that others can probably carry on what we have started, that there are others who can probably go after the corrupt, that there are others who will probably continue improving the economy and giving service to public, that there are others who will probably continue to tread the straight path. But for me, why should we go for candidates who are unsure when we have someone who is a sure bet?)
Asked about continued calls of some LP member for her to run alongside Roxas, Poe said she has always been thankful for their support, but added that she did not want to steal the spotlight from Aquino’s “man of the hour.”
“Siyempre, maraming salamat sa patuloy na tiwala pero sa tingin ko ang kasagutan na iyan ay hindi naaayon sa araw na ito,” she said. “Alam mo araw ito ni Sec. Mar, huwag na nating pag-usapan iyan. Bigyan natin ng pagkakataon na marinig ng publiko iyong kaniyang mga mensahe para sa kanila.”
(I am thankful for their continued trust, but I don’t think today is the right time to respond to that. Today is Sec. Mar’s day; let’s not talk about it. Let’s give him a chance so the public can hear his message for them.) IDL