Senator Chiz Escudero, chair of the Joint Oversight Committee on Public Expenditures, conducts a hearing today on the report of the Development Budget Coordinating Committee on the status and direction of the economic, fiscal and monetary policies of the government. Also in photo is Davao City Representative Isidro Ungab.(MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senator Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero has ruled out the possibility he and his close friend, Senator Grace Poe, would run and compete with each other for the vice presidency in 2016.
Poe is the leading candidate for both president and vice president in pre-election surveys, while Escudero is number two in the vice presidential race. The Liberal Party (LP) is reportedly courting Poe to be the running mate of its presumptive presidential candidate, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.
Escudero told reporters on Wednesday that he and Poe have not even talked about the scenario of running against each other.
“Siguro kaya naman hindi pinag-uusapan ‘yon dahil malayong mangyari ‘yon (Perhaps we don’t talk about it because it’s farfetched),” he said.
“Hindi na kailangang pag-usapan na darating kami sa puntong magkakalaban kami (We don’t need to talk about getting to the point of running against each other).”
Escudero said he would support Poe whatever decision she makes about the elections.
Seatmates at the Senate plenary, Escudero and Poe have a deep friendship that goes back to the time he worked for the 2004 presidential campaign of her father, the late actor Fernando Poe Jr.
Poe had said that should she decide to run for president, she would be comfortable having Escudero as running mate.
Despite their close ties, Escudero said whatever decision he makes about 2016 will not necessarily depend on Poe.
“My decision is individual. It will only be collective once Senator Poe runs,” he said at a news forum. “Ang desisyon ko, individual ‘yon pagdating sa pagtakbo o hindi pagtakbo (My decision when it comes to running or not is individual).”
Poe and Escudero, both independent politicians, have not yet decided whether to run for higher office or not.
Escudero said he is still thinking things through, and that not even their high approval ratings would largely influence his decision. Poe and Escudero have the highest approval ratings among senators based on the results of a Pulse Asia survey.
“Bahagi palagi ‘yon, pero hindi lang naman din siguro yon (That will always be a part of my decision-making, but it won’t be only that),” said Escudero. “Mas importante ang personal na desisyon, psychological, spiritual, at emotional na basehan sa pagtakbo o hindi pagtakbo (A personal decision on whether to run or not based on psychological, spiritual, and emotional factors is more important).”
Meanwhile, Escudero said he has yet to speak with President Aquino to discuss 2016, although the latter has asked to meet with him.
The President had spoken twice with Poe, but reportedly did not offer her to run for any position under the administration’s party. He then announced he would also set a meeting with Escudero. (MNS)