Poe-Escudero’s campaign message ‘confusing,’ says Lacierda

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda says the campaign message of presidential contender Sen. Grace Poe and running mate Sen. Chiz Escudero is “somehow confusing.” INQUIRER PHOTO

After Senators Grace Poe and Francis “Chiz” Escudero made their 2016 tandem official, a Palace official on Saturday said the poll front-runners’ campaign message was “somehow confusing.”

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said it was not clear whether Poe and Escudero wanted change or continuity after claiming that nobody had a monopoly of “daang matuwid (straight path),” an allusion to the administration’s reform program.

“They have shown, for instance, in their jingle ‘Bagong Umaga’ (new day), and yet they claim ‘daang matuwid.’ So medyo confusing ang message nila. Do you want change or continuity?” Lacierda said.

The administration coalition had wooed Poe to be the running mate of Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas but the senator officially declared her presidential bid on Wednesday.

Lacierda said Poe considered other factors by joining the presidential derby, and may have veered away from daang matuwid by establishing the so-called “Partido Pilipinas.”

“Apparently, there are factors that Sen. Grace Poe considered, which led her to establish her ‘Partido Plipinas.’ Is that the party, the group that they have? It’s called ‘Partido Pilipinas’ yata and so veers from daang matuwid. So, what those considerations are, I cannot speak for Sen. Grace Poe and Senator Escudero,” he said.

While agreeing that no one had the monopoly on daang matuwid and that it was “not a perfect road,” Lacierda said the LP bets would continue to build on the gains of the administration on good governance.

“We continue to improve, we continue to make sure that the gains that we have received are experienced by all, that’s why we call it inclusive growth. And how they position themselves, how Sen. Grace Poe and Sen. Chiz Escudero will position themselves, will be a matter of product differentiation,” he said.

Roxas on Friday formally asked Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo to be his running mate, but the neophyte lawmaker had yet to decide on the offer. Yuji Vincent Gonzales/RC