WITH Davao Mayor City Rodrigo Duterte’s entry into the presidential race, Senator Grace Poe would be the “biggest loser,” Senator Serge Osmeña said on Monday, citing his own survey.
Osmeña said that based on the survey that he commissioned last September, Poe was the biggest beneficiary when Duterte announced that he was not joining the race.
“Well, because the biggest beneficiary of his withdrawal two months ago was Grace Poe, ergo, the biggest loser will be Grace Poe,” he said in an interview over DWIZ.
Osmeña said the September survey conducted by the Pulse Asia included the names of four major presidential bets — Poe, Duterte, Vice President Jejomar Binay, and former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.
“Noong pag-drop namin kay Mayor Duterte, out of the 17% that he was getting at the time, 9% would go to Grace Poe, tapos iyong balance paghahatian ni Roxas and Binay. So by logical extension, nagtuloy siya, he is going to get from Grace Poe,” he said.
While he helped Poe when the latter first ran and won in the senatorial race in 2013, Osmeña, who is seeking reelection in 2016, has openly expressed his leaning towards Duterte even before the mayor formally declared that he is running for president.
READ: Osmeña to Poe: No, thank you
Osmeña noted that aside from Duterte’s strong appeal to the masses, the mayor was also known for fighting criminality in his province and has never been accused of any corruption.
Poe, he said, on the other hand, had a “very good” projection with the people.
“Grace has been doing very well. Napakaganda ng projection niya sa publiko. She has this what is known as ‘may hatak sa puso, may kurot.”
“The other night nga, merong isang businessman na pabalik-balik from New York to Manila. Nanood nung debate dun sa Manila Polo Club between Mar and Grace. This man is a businessman. Ang sabi niya, “Mar gave all the right answers, I am a businessman so I know. But Grace was the one who got my heart,” he further said.
Asked about Binay, Osmeña said the Vice President has the “strongest personal and political infrastructure.”
In case of Roxas, the senator reminded the administration bet about the 2010 elections where he served as the campaign manager of President Benigno Aquino’s team.
“Nakalimutan ni Mar Roxas that we started with no local infrastructure. You don’t need the local infrastructure,” said Osmeña.
“He is wasting his time and his money trying to collect all of the congressmen, mayors and governors. That’s the biggest expense. Magbibigay ka ng 5 million, ng 10 million sa mga congressmen-candidates, wala naming resulta iyan,” he further said.