Senator Grace Poe. FILE PHOTO
Presidential hopeful Senator Grace Poe received two pieces of good news last Tuesday. First, the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) voted to junk a petition that seeks to unseat her in the Senate. Second, Poe led the latest Pulse Asia survey on presidential polls.
READ: Emotional day for Grace Poe
In response, Poe thanked the five senators in the SET, who voted to junk the petition, and they were Senators Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Loren Legarda, Cynthia Villar, Pia Cayetano, and Bam Aquino, a member of the Liberal Party, whose standard-bearer in 2016 is former Secretary Mar Roxas.
Likewise, Poe expressed gratitude for the people’s continued trust as reflected in another presidential survey despite the black propaganda and criticisms being thrown at her.
Poe reportedly kept her lead in the latest Pulse Asia survey commissioned by a private group with 39 percent. The survey was conducted from October 18 to 29 among 3,400 respondents nationwide.
“Ako’y nagpapasalamat sa pag-titiwala sa atin ng ating mga kababayan lalong lalo na ngayon na kahit marami pa ang black propaganda, marami ang bumabatikos sa akin,” she said when sought for comment during a press conference in Malolos, Bulacan.
(I would like to thank our countrymen’s trust especially now that black propaganda is proliferating, many are criticizing me.)
“Ako’y nagpapasalamat na kahit ganoon ang nangyari, tiwala pa rin ang ating mga kababayan sa ating intensyon at sa ating katapatan,” she added.
(I am grateful that despite what happened, our countrymen continue to trust my intention and sincerity.)
READ: Poe’s disqualification case in Comelec worrisome
Poe, who is facing a number of disqualification cases at the Commission on Elections over her citizenship, said she is looking forward to start public discussion on issues that would address the poverty problems in the country.
Vice President Jejomar Binay came in second in the presidential race with 24 percent, followed by former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas with 21 percent and Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago with 11 percent.
Poe’s running mate, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, also maintained his lead in the vice presidential race, based on the same survey, with 43 percent.
Escudero said he was humbled and grateful by the people’s continued trust on him.
“Kasabay po ng buong pagpapakumbaba namin at pagpapasalamat sa mga tiwalang ibinigay sa atin ng ating mga kababayan, ang pagsabi rin siguro na mataas man o mababa ang aming survey ni Senator Grace at iba pang mga kandidato, pagpatuloy lang kaming magsisipag,” he said.
(As we are humbly thankful for the trust given by our countrymen, we will continue to be diligent towards our work, whether my ratings, that of Senator Grace and other candidates’ as well are high or low.)
“Patuloy lamang kaming mag-iikot paparatingin ang aming mensahe, mithin layunin, pangarap at programa para sa ating bansa sa mas marami nating kababayan at sa bawat sulok ng ating bansa sa abot ng aming makakaya at sa abot din ng makakayanan naming dahil kami po’y parehong walang partido at independent lamang,” Escudero added.
(We will continue to roam around the country to deliver our message, aims, objectives, dreams and programs for our country to reach more of our countrymen and every corner of the country to the utmost of our abilities because we both have no parties and are running as independents.)
Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. came in second in the vice presidential race with 21 percent, followed by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano with 11 percent, Camarines Sur Representative Leni Robredo with 7 percent and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV with 6 percent. RAM