Senator Grace Poe and Senator Franchis “Chiz” Escuderoduring a press conference in Tagbilaran City, Bohol. ARNOLD ALMACEN
Notwithstanding the disqualifications cases she is facing in the presidential race, Senator Grace Poe and her team are all set for the May 2016 elections.
Poe, her running mates Senator Francis Escudero and their senatorial slate dubbed as “Partido Galing at Puso” (PGP) will kick off their campaign in Metro Manila on February 9, the official start of the campaign period for the May 2016 elections, their campaign manager, Cebu Representative Joseph Ace Durano, disclosed on Wednesday.
Durano, who was tasked to oversee the overall campaign of the team, said they have also mapped out their campaign activities during the 90-day campaign period subject to the approval of the tandem.
“It’s a go, the entire 90 days is a go,” the campaign manager told INQUIRER.net over the phone, when asked about their preparations despite the pending disqualification cases against Poe over her citizenship and residency.
Asked where they would hold the kick off campaign on February 9, he said: “All I can say right now is that it will be in Metro Manila.”
Asked again why they chose to start the campaign in the metropolis, Durano said” “Many things. One is, it’s one of the biggest voting population. Second, it would be more convenient for national media to attend. Kick off kasi so that’s very important.”
Aside from Poe and Escudero, Durano said the 12 senatorial bets of PGP are all invited but are not compelled to attend the kick off as some of them are guest candidates, like Senators Ralph Recto, Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, former senators Richard Gordon and Juan Miguel Zubiri and migrant worker advocate Susan Ople.
Recto is part of the administration’s Daang Matuwid while Sotto, Gordon, Ople, and Zubiri are also running under the United Nationalist Alliance being headed by presidential aspirant, Vice President Jejomar Binay.
Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, on the other hand, was endorsed by Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, who are also running for president and vice president, respectively.
The candidates exclusive to PGP are Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo, ACT-CIS Rep. Samuel Pagdilao, Valenzuela Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian, actor and TV host Edu Manzano, and lawyer Lorna Kapunan.
“Everyone is invited but from the very beginning nga as I said, it’s not by compulsion naman e. We understand that each one of them in the senatorial slate has their own strategies, and as much as possible yung sa atin is to support them and not to be a burden on them. Yung sa atin is just a supporting role,” Durano said.
“But being a kick off , you know we’re inviting everyone, and we’ll see who will show up,” he added.
Durano refused to give further details about the kick off since he said they have yet to discuss the complete program next week. TVJ