It’s official: Poe concedes to Duterte

SENATOR Grace Poe has conceded to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who is leading the  partial and unofficial tally of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“Ako si Grace Poe at naging kandidato para sa pagkapangulo ngayong 2016 ay nagbibigay-daan kay Rodrigo Duterte na siyang maliwanag na nangunguna sa kasalukuyang bilangan at siyang napili ng nakararami sa ating mga kababayan,” Poe said in a hastily called press conference at her team’s headquarter in Quezon City Monday midnight.

“Bilang isang masidhing tagapagtaguyod ng repormang pang-eleksyon, matatag ang paniniwala ko sa boses at kalooban ng ating taumbayan. Iginagalang ko ang resulta ng ating halalan,” she said.

“Binabati ko si Mayor Rodrigo Duterte at ipinapangako ko ang aking pakikiisa sa paghilom ng ating bayan at pakikiisa ng ating mga kababayan tungo sa patuloy na pag-unlad ng ating bansa.”

The senator was the first among the five presidential hopefuls to concede to the mayor.

Poe confirmed that she had already talked to Duterte before she faced the media.

Poe and administration candidate Mar Roxas are trailing Duterte based on the initial counts.

The two other presidential aspirants, aside from Poe and Roxas, are Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

Poe said the past three months of her campaign were difficult but said she was proud to say that they did not give up and engage in any black propaganda against their rivals.

“Matutulog ako ngayong gabi na may malinis na konsensya, na panatag sa kaalaman na ako, kasama ang aking pangkat at ang lahat ng minamahal kong tagasuporta, ginawa natin ang lahat. Ginawa natin ang lahat ng ating makakaya,” she said.

“Ito’y hindi pagsuko, ito’y pagbibigay-daan.

Ito’y pagkilala sa mga pinili ng ating mga kababayan,” Poe added. Ito’y hindi pagsuko, ito’y pagbibigay-daan. Ito’y pagkilala sa mga pinili ng ating mga kababayan,” Poe added.

Sen Grace Poe, fixes her eyeglasses as she holds a press conference to announce that she is conceding the presidential race to Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, hours after the polling precinct closed, Monday, May 9, 2016. Photo by Jay Morales/Poe-Escudero Media Bureau