Sen. Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
CEBU CITY—Sen. Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan has said he does not take offense at the endorsement of the governor of his home province for another vice presidential candidate.
In a short interview here before he went campaigning with Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Thursday, Honasan said he respected the decision of Sorsogon Gov. Raul Lee to support Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero.
Both senators hail from Sorsogon, with Escudero serving as provincial representative from 1998 to 2007.
Honasan said this was why he did not accompany Vice President Jejomar Binay on stage during the latter’s campaign rally in the province on Wednesday.
In an ambush interview on Wednesday in Sorsogon, Lee, the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) provincial coordinator there, said he was supporting the tandem of Binay and Escudero.
The governor said he was supporting Escudero instead of Binay’s running mate Honasan because the latter rarely visited his home province Sorsogon.
He said he had developed deeper ties with Escudero because he worked with him in Sorsogon, whereas he was friends with Honasan only in Manila.
“He (Honasan) can understand. Kaibigan ko ‘yon personal (We have personal ties). He will not feel bad. And he knows we had a long association with Escudero,” Lee told reporters.
“Greg is a friend but he’s based in Manila. He doesn’t visit here. Our relationship is weak. (On the other hand) we have established a relationship with Escudero, so we’ll go for him,” he said.
“Kasi ugali ng Pilipino ‘yong personal na pulitika (Filipinos always turn politics into a personal matter),” the governor added.
Three vice presidential candidates—Honasan, Escudero, and Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo—have roots in Sorsogon.
Robredo’s relatives from the Gerona side hail from Bulan, where Honasan also traces his roots, while Escudero’s can be found in Casiguran town.
“Leni Robredo has many relatives here. Greg Honasan also has many. Chiz Escudero has a few, but he has many supporters and admirers,” Lee said.
“So it is up to the people what will be the outcome (of this elections).”
Binay, meanwhile, refused to comment about Lee’s endorsement of Escudero. RC