Poe on Roxas’ unity call: We can talk, but I won’t quit

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Senator Grace Poe. FILE PHOTOS

Presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe on Friday maintained that she will not withdraw from the presidential race, following the call of administration standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II to unite against a “looming dictatorship,” three days before the national elections.

Poe said she was willing to talk to Roxas, but was quick to say that she will not give way if that was what the ruling Liberal Party wanted to happen.

“Kilala ko si Secretary Mar. Kahit naman kailan ay pwede niya akong kausapin. Ngayon, ‘yung panawagan niya na ‘yon, kung para sa kabutihan ng bayan, pwede naman talaga kaming mag-usap tungkol diyan. Pero ang malinaw ay hindi ako umaatras sa laban,” Poe said over radio DZMM.

(I know Secretary Mar. He can talk to me anytime. We can talk about his call for the country’s welfare. But what’s clear is I don’t withdraw from any fight.)

“Basta marami na tayong pinagdaanan at ang dala-dala natin dito ay ang mga pangarap at pag-asa ng ating mga kababayan na hindi naman siguro dapat i-postpone dito. Kung sila, baka meron silang plano na sila ang magbibigay o ang makinarya ang ibibigay sa akin, e sa kanila ‘yon para sa sabihin,” she added.

(I have gone through a lot of challenges and I am carrying with me our countrymen’s dreams and hope and I don’t think it must be postponed. If they have plans to give way or give their machinery to me, it’s up to them to say it.)

In a hastily called press conference at the LP headquarters, Roxas on Friday called on Poe to meet with him, as he warned against “the possibility of a leader coming to power who cares for nothing about honesty, integrity, transparency, responsibility or even just basic decency.”

READ: Roxas to Poe: Let’s thwart ‘looming dictatorship’

Roxas was alluding to poll frontrunner Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who was able to maintain a double-digit lead over his rivals, going into the final days of the campaign period.

Poe, Duterte’s closest rival in preference surveys, stood her ground that she has no reason to back out from the race, adding that it would be against her principles and a disservice to her supporters and all of Filipinos.

“Para sa akin, medyo katraydoran din na bigla na lang kami-kami lang ang magdedesisyon. Ngayon, kung talagang maluwag sa kanyang puso at naniniwala siya na isa ang dapat umatras para naman lumakas ang aming puwersa, bakit hindi? Desisyon niya ‘yon. Pero para sa akin, wala na kaming dapat pag-usapan, kung ‘yon ang inaasahan niya sa akin,” she said.
(For me, it would be a betrayal if we would suddenly decide between ourselves. If he is willing and believes that one of us should withdraw so our forces would be strengthened, why not? It’s his decision. But for me, we have nothing to talk about if he expects me to back out.)

“Siguro gusto niya akong malagay sa posisyon kung saan baka mapa-oo ako pero alam mo hindi naman ganoon kadali, lalong-lalo tinuruan naman ako ng aking ama na huwag sumuko ‘pag naniniwala sa ipinaglalaban,” Poe added.

(Perhaps he wanted to put me in a position where I could just agree to it but you know, it’s not that easy, especially because my father taught me not to give up when you believe in what you are fighting for.)

The lady senator said she could not lend her support to the administration, given the government’s failures and shortcomings in addressing the needs of the people.

READ: Roxas invites Poe to ‘unity’ meeting

“Ipinaglalaban ko rito, sabi ko nga, ang dami na ngang disillusioned. May disillusionment sa gobyerno na kakulangan ng kanilang pakiramdam at pagbigay ng pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan, tapos bigla na lang susuportahan ko sila? Parang hindi naman yata ‘yon naaayon sa aking mga sinasabi at ipinaglalaban nitong mga nakaraang buwan,” Poe said.

(I’m fighting for, as I said, the people who have been disillusioned. There is disillusionment with government for being insensitive and lack of addressing the needs of our countrymen, then all of a sudden I would just support them? It doesn’t go with what I have been saying and fighting for in the previous months.)

Ngayon, kung sila ay medyo nagkakaroon ng duda ay sinasabi ko na sa kanila na huwag nila akong tingnan na paraan nila para manaig sila, sapagkat hindi rin naman ako na naniniwala sa kanilang pamamaraan ng pamamalakad ng gobyerno,” she added.

(If they are having doubts, I’m telling them they should not see me as a way so that they could prevail, because I don’t believe in their governance.)

President Benigno Aquino III, who is backing Roxas’ candidacy, also called on voters to convince presidential candidates to unite against Duterte, who he said may be a “threat to democracy.” RAM

READ: Aquino to voters: Urge Roxas, Poe to unite

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