Team Galing at Puso presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe greets supporters during an International Women’s Day celebration at Liwasang Bonifacio, Tuesday. Poe thanked her supporters and reacted to her critics after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of her presidential bid in the upcoming elections.(MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – If there’s anything that could be said about the performance of Senator Grace Poe in the second leg of the presidential debates, it is her “lack of familarity” with the duties of a chief executive, the spokesperson of the ruling Liberal Party (LP) said Monday.
In a media briefing, LP spokesperson Akbayan Rep. Ibarra Gutierrez scored Poe’s supposed confusion over the question of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on what she would do if she was awakened by news that two of the country’s coast guard cutters were attacked.
“Sa tingin ko, that was a real reflection on the lack of familiarity niya with the role of a president, what the resources available to the president are and what the priorities are of a president should [the Philippines] be in a crisis,” Gutierrez told reporters.
In her answer, Poe talked in length on how she would work to improve the country’s defense capability, even buying surface-to-air missiles, while engaging other countries to stand with the Philippines as regards its rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Pressed what she would do on that night when she’s told of an attack on Philippine coast guard vessels, Poe told Duterte in jest that she’d have to get up first.
“I’m just talking about worst case scenario, ang tanong ko kasi what would be the first step that you would do if you are informed in the middle of the night, you are awakened na dalawang Coast Guard ay pinasabog ng China with missiles, what could be the first step that you would do?” Duterte said.
Gutierrez called Poe’s second response “joke time.”
“Well, kung ikaw ay humarap ng krisis tapos ang unang maiisip mong gawin ay magsabi na ‘babangon ako at hindi ako maghihintay ng alas singko,’ that doesn’t re-assure me, ‘di ba?”
“I am alarmed that somebody who is vying for the highest office in the land seems to be completely unfamiliar with what he or should take as first steps when confronted with that,” Gutierrez added.
The LP spokesperson said Poe should have just said that she will call Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, her running mate in the 2016 elections, for advice on what to do.
Gutierrez also cited Poe’s mistake when she said the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is under the supervision of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), where Roxas was sercretary.
“Ang PDEA ay under ng OP (Office of the President). Kung ikaw ay magiging presidente, sana alam mo yung mga agencies under you,” he told Poe.
Poe had been criticized for her supposed inexperience, having only been senator for three years before trying for the presidency. She was also previously chairman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board.
During the first PiliPinas Debates 2016 in Cagayan de Oro City last February 21, Roxas told Poe that the presidency should not be treated as an “OJT.”
“Ipagpaumanhin ng aking kaibigang si Senadora Grace Poe na ang pagiging pangulo ay hindi OJT. Kinabukasan, buhay, at kaunlaran ng 100 milyong Pilipino ang nakasalalay dito, kaya may tamang panahon para sa lahat. Para sa akin, ang karanasan ay isa sa pinakamahalagang katangian para sa pagka-pangulo,” he said.
Poe fired back, saying that Roxas may have served under three administrations, but problems remain in the agencies that he handled.
“Pasensya na po, pero marami na rin akong naimbestigahan tulad ng DILG at DOTC sa MRT at sa tingin ko naman, hindi mo kailangan ng napakahabang karanasan para malaman na kulang ang tulong ng gobyerno ng transportasyon para sa bayan,” she said. (MNS)