Senate President Franklin Drilon assured on Tuesday that no member of the Liberal Party (LP) has expressed any intention to join the camp of presidential aspirant Grace Poe, saying such talk was just “part of the rumor mill.”
“There is no truth to that; that is part of the rumor mill at this point,” Drilon, vice president of LP, said when asked at a press conference in the Senate if he was aware of any party member planning to join Poe’s camp after the Supreme Court ruled that she is qualified to run for president in May.
“Secretary Roxas had the highest in terms of improvement in his standing, so there is no truth to that, and it is part of political intrigues which we expect at this point,” he said, referring to LP’s standard-bearer, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.
Asked about a report that a party member, Albay Governor Joey Salceda, was already in talks with Poe, Drilon said: “Ito’y feelers, kami rin may feelers; we try to feel each other.”
Asked again if the LP was conducting a loyalty check among its members, the Senate leader answered in the negative.
“There is none,” he said.
But Drilon said the LP would not prevent any of its members who later want to leave and support other candidates.
“Freedom of choice is one of the hallmarks of our system of our government,” he pointed out.
Poe earlier claimed that many individuals from different political groups have already expressed their intention to support her presidential bid, following the SC’s decision.
She refused to name them, saying they would come out in the coming days.
READ: After SC decision, Poe expects more politicians will jump ship soon
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