Poe says LP stopped members wanting to support her

PILI, Camarines Sur—While four Liberal Party (LP) mayors here had signified their support for her, Sen. Grace Poe on Friday said some LP members and other personalities had been prevented from backing her presidential bid.

“Meron, meron,” Poe said of her running mate Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s earlier claim that some LP members had been stopped from defecting to their camp.

READ: Escudero: Admin preventing LP members from joining Poe camp

“’Yung mga gustong sumuporta sa atin na mga personalidad, na gustong lumabas, pinakiusapan. Okay na lang,” she said.

Poe earlier said many politicians from different groups would come out to support her after the Supreme Court ruled that she was qualified to run for president.

READ: After SC decision, Poe expects more politicians will jump ship soon

On Friday afternoon, four LP mayors attended a local leaders’ meeting with Poe at Pili Covention Center here.

Poe’s spokesperson Valenzuela Mayor Rep. Rex Gatchalian said the four mayors who had “signified their support” for the senator were Del Simbulan of Nabua, Ricky Aquino of Ragay, Mel Gaite of Baao, and Ernesto Bagasbas of Balatan.

“Senator Poe is overwhelmed with the outpouring of support given to her by various incumbent politicians of Camsur. These public servants hold various positions ranging from mayors all the way to barangay officials,” Gatchalian said.

“The public officials of Camsur signified their support because they all want to be part of the battle Senator Poe is waging against poverty and unemployment. Gobyernong may Puso’s quest to uplift the lives of the people of Camsur triggered the snowball of support initiated by the province’s governor, Miguel Villafuerte.”

He is confident that in the coming days, more incumbent officials will consolidate support behind the bandwagon known as “Gobyernong may Puso.”

“Clearly, politicians from different political parties are crossing party lines to support Senator Poe’s advocacy,” Gatchalian said. RC