After Poe’s bid, Escudero bent to crack ruling LP, says Erice

Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice. FILE PHOTO

Senator Grace Poe’s presidential declaration may divide the ruling Liberal Party (LP), with her expected running mate Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero convincing some LP members to join their side.

In a text message Wednesday night, Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice scored Poe for using the “tuwid na daan” (straight path) slogan in her declaration to run for president.

He said Poe’s copying of the slogan may potentially crack the ruling administration party that catapulted then Senator Benigno Aquino III to the presidency in 2010 in the same anti-corruption program.

In declaring her presidential bid, Poe said no single person or party has “monopoly”over the “tuwid na daan” slogan.

Erice said Senator Escudero, Poe’s expected running mate in 2016, and former An Waray Rep. Bem Noel, who deflected to Poe’s camp, are trying to convince “many” LP members to switch sides.

“Bem Noel and Senator Chiz are trying to convince (many members of the) LP to switch side,” Erice said.

“They would not dare ask me, they know that I am a believer. Marami silang nilalapitan, but as of now, they failed,” he added.

Erice said instead of pursuing her own ambitions, Poe should have joined forces with the LP which is the original proponent of the straight reform agenda she is using now to her agenda.

“What we are saying is, why not all forces believing in ‘daang matuwid’ unite rather than what she’s doing, trying to divide it?” Erice said.

Erice said Poe’s camp wanted to break up the LP because they do not have the support of local officials.

He said Poe is also taking advantage of “local disputes” within the party such as two Liberals fighting for a single post in the local level.

This means Poe’s camp is trying to convince the LP members who are fighting a fellow Liberal for the same post to instead jump ship to their party, Erice said.

Erice said there is nothing new in Poe’s declared platform of governance, which he said had been done under the present administration.

“Nothing is so new with the platform presented by Senator Poe, it’s all motherhood statements. Most of them have been done and being done by President Aquino. The real meat is in the details. It’s a good poetry but how about the prose? Paano Poe? Will she agree to a debate with Secretary Mar and Vice President (Jejomar) Binay?” Erice said.

The scenario now of the 2016 presidential race is that among Poe, Interior Sec. Mar Roxas under LP, and Binay under the United Nationalist Alliance.

Poe is said to be backed by the Nationalist People’s Coalition, which supported her father’s presidential bid in 2004.

Poe and Escudero ran under the administration banner Team PNoy led by the LP in the 2013 senatorial elections. MJ Cayabyab/TVJ

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