President Benigno Aquino III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
President Benigno Aquino III on Monday said that it would be nonsense for the administration coalition to question the citizenship of Senator Grace Poe whom it is wooing to become the running mate of Liberal Party presidential candidate Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.
If ever the attacks were from the administration, it would also have to defend Poe should she join the coalition, the President said, answering questions from reporters during his visit to the Department of Public Works amd Highways (DPWH) Region VII office in Cebu City.
“Inaakit namin siya pero gagawa kami ng black propaganda? Parang kung sakaling makuha namin siya, sasagutin namin yung black propagandang ginawa namin. Parang wala atang sense yun,” Aquino said.
(We are wooing her but at the same time we spread black propaganda against her? Why? So that if she joined our ticket, we would also rebut our own propaganda? It doesn’t make sense.)
The President then said that the administration coalition was still hoping that Poe would join Roxas in the administration’s pursuit of “daang matuwid.” (straight path)
“Umaasa pa rin kami, hanggang ngayon. Hindi naman napuputol ang lines of communication, mas hindi lang kami madalas mag-usap ngayon… Kami sa koalisyon, hindi lang yung Liberal, ay umaasa pa rin na magsasama-sama ang lahat ng puwersang gustong ipagpatuloy ang lahat ng nangyayari ngayon,”
(We are still hopeful. The lines of communication between our camps remain open. We in the coalition—not only in the Liberal Party—are hoping that all who want to continue what we have started will join forces.)
Recently, Poe asked the Liberal Party if it was behind attacks against her and behind efforts to oust her from the Senate for being a foundling.
A senatorial race loser, Rizalito David, has filed two separate cases against Poe before the Senate Electoral Tribunal and the Commission on Elections seeking her ouster for allegedly being stateless.
Poe has not yet declared her plans for 2016.