ILOILO—“Where is Grace Poe?” asked by many residents here when veteran actress Susan Roces visited two public markets here on Tuesday without her daughter, Senator Grace Poe.
The mother and daughter arrived here together shortly past 6:00 a.m. but they went on separate locations—Roces at La Paz Public Market and Iloilo Central Market, while Poe went directly to Carles town for a gathering there.
READ: Grace Poe, Susan Roces in Iloilo for campaign
“Si Susan Roces lang, wala man si Grace Poe (Only Susan Roces is here, not Grace Poe),” some of the vendors said whenever Roces passed them by.
While some of them were disappointed by Poe’s absence in the market tour, some could not also contain their joy as one flower vendor even jumped for joy when they saw the veteran actress.
“Ang gwapa, gwapa (She is so beautiful)!” an old woman exclaimed.
Some would call Roces “idol” while others would recognize her as one of the characters in ABS-CBN’s primetime show “Ang Probinsyano.”
Roces, for her part, gamely posed for a picture with her fans, and sometimes mentioned the name of Poe and the latter’s running mate, Sen. Francis Escudero, while talking with the vendors.
Another old woman jumped to her feet while chanting the name of Roces’ husband, the late action king Fernando Poe Jr, when she saw the actress.
“Artista (You’re an actress)! FPJ,” the woman repeatedly said.
Susan Roces samples the Ilonggo dish La Paz batchoy while facing reporters in Iloilo. MAILA AGER/INQUIRER.net
Asked by reporters whom she would vote for president in May, the woman answered “Grace Poe.”
Asked again why she would not vote for a fellow Ilonggo like former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, a man beside her answered: “Ayaw namin du’n (We don’t like him).”
READ: Grace Poe on ‘sentimental journey’ to Iloilo
At least three more female vendors openly expressed their support for Poe over Roxas.
“Di kami Mar Roxas, suplado s’ya (We are not for Mar Roxas. He’s a snob),” another female vendor said.
Her companion, who identified herself as Jenny Gabion, seconded.
Asked why she did not like Roxas, Gabion said: “Suplado (Snob).”
And why she would vote for Poe, Gabion said: “Mabait (Nice).”
Egecylin Calumpita, 51, said she would rather support Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte if Poe would not be allowed to run for president.
“Aba syempre Grace Poe talaga kami (Of course, we are for Grace Poe),” Calumpita said.
“Kapag ayaw ni Grace Poe, ‘pag wala si Grace Poe, suporta kami kay Duterte ‘pag wala s’ya (If Grace Poe is not included in the race, we would support Duterte),” she added. IDL
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