It’s a go for Honasan, says Sotto

It’s a go for Senator Gringo Honasan if he were to decide on the United Nationalist Alliance’s (UNA) offer to run for Vice President in 2016, his friend, Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said on Wednesday.

“As far as UNA is concerned, go na yun. As far as Senator Honasan is concerned, he still has to officially accept it and he wants to do it when his family has given him the blessing,” Sotto told reporters.

“Kung sya ang tatanungin siguro go na yun, kung sya mismo…Greg has always been a team player,  soldier e,” he said, noting that Honasan is not only a member but the vice president of UNA.

(If we’re going to ask him, I guess it’s a go. Greg has always been a team player. He’s a soldier.)

But Sotto said until now, Honasan’s wife and children are against his possible vice presidential run  next year.

“As far as I know, until now, hindi naman violently opposed but one of them is crying until last night   and the wife was waking him up at 4 a.m. asking him to rethink and double think his decision,” he said.

“Kasi ang feeling nila, hindi mo masisi. In so many instances before, Si Senator Honasan ay napasok  sa kung ano-anong gulo o tagumpay para sa bayan. Akala nila magre-retire na sya after 2019,” he added.

Honasan’s party mate, Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile also advised Honasan to seriously think the UNA’s offer to run with its standard-bearer, Vice President Jejomar Binay.

“I said he must think seriously. When you’re running for the presidency or the vice presidency even  just as senator, you have to asses your chances very well,” Enrile  said in a separate interview.

“Running is easy, winning is very difficult,” he said.

Enrile reiterated that among the five declared candidates for vice president — Senators Francis Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano, Antonio Trillanes IV and  Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos  Jr, and Camarines Rep. Leni Robredo — Marcos has an advantage.

He noted that three vice presidential aspirants — Escudero, Trillanes and Robredo, are all Bicolanos  and would share the votes in the region while Marcos was the only Ilocano.

“E ang kultura ng mga ilocano, maski nasan sila basta merong kandidatong Ilocano for a national office e, by in large they will vote for him…” he said.

But asked who he would vote between Honasan and Marcos, Enrile said, “Well Gringo is may party mate so that’s my problem.”

“While maybe my choice will be for Gringo , the fact is that I can’t even guarantee that my voters in my own province , I could control for him because that’s the culture of the people…,” Enrile added. TVJ

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