Presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe
EDWIN BACASMAS
ILOILO CITY—About two weeks before the May 9 elections, allies of Vice President Jejomar Binay in Antique province have jumped ship.
The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) in the province formally declared on Saturday its support for the presidential bid of Sen. Grace Poe on Saturday in Bugasong town where they were proclaimed by Poe’s son, Bryan Llamanzares.
The opposition bloc in Antique is also supporting Poe.
“We have felt the sentiments of the people at the ground. They are receptive to Poe’s program of good governance, transparency and accountability,” said former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Director Raymundo Roquero, UNA candidate for representative of Antique’s lone congressional district.
Roquero said support for Binay was dwindling fast like sand in an hour glass.
Antique province with 318,149 registered voters (2013) is among the Western Visayas provinces considered bailiwicks of the ruling Liberal Party (LP) and its standard-bearer former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.
Governor Exequiel Javier and his son, Rep. Paolo Javier, are both seeking reelection under the LP.
Vice Gov. Rhodora Cadiao, who is running for governor under the National Unity Party against Javier, said her party was supporting Roxas and his running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo.
Roquero said at least six mayors running for reelection, including his wife Mayor Mary Joyce Roquero of Valderrama, are also supporting Poe.
He said more UNA leaders in Western Visayas were expected to follow.
“In the coming days, we are expecting an exodus of other local officials not only in the province but in the region to her camp,” Roquero said.
He said Poe was either the front-runner or second place in popularity survey because voters saw her as someone who was sincere and honest and with keen grasp of the issues.
Asked why they were not supporting Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who is leading in popularity surveys, Roquero said Duterte’s statements and pronouncements, especially on women, extrajudicial killings were contrary to their platform of government.
“His comment on the rape and murder of (Australian missionary Jaqueline Hamill in 1989) is abhorrent,” Roquero said.
