Manila Times/Makati

The ruling Liberal Party (LP) and its allies are making moves to drum up support for a vice presidential run by representative Leni Robredo of Camarines Sur, amid its efforts in recruiting senator Grace Poe to serve as running mate of former secretary Manuel Mar Roxas 2nd.
Former house deputy speaker Lorenzo Tanada 3rd, an LP stalwart, disclosed on Tuesday that he is backing the Leni for vice president in a drive that kicked off yesterday morning at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani.
The Leni for vice president movement seeks to strengthen Robredo’s nationwide campaign as she gears up for a higher office, particularly the vice presidency, come 2016.
“We are just starting to get organised…we’re from LP, Kaya Natin, nongovernment organisations, and sectors from the urban poor. We have to make it known that Leni is a viable vice presidential candidate. She (Robredo) has decided to be of help to the party. If that help would mean running [for higher office], she would heed such call,” Tañada told The Manila Times.
Senator Poe will be meeting with the Nationalist People’s Coalition—the second largest political party in the country next to LP—on Tuesday night. Senator Poe already met with the LP Chairman, president Benigno Aquino 3rd, at least four times but convincing Poe to play second fiddle to Roxas in 2016 is still up in the air.
Poe is the leading candidate in the pre-election surveys for both the presidential and vice presidential race, but her winning margin is believed to be bigger should she choose to run for vice president instead.
“We need to be prepared for any eventuality, and other things that might happen. Senator Grace has not made her decision yet. We don’t know until when she will [be able to] decide, but the [Liberal] party should be ready to have someone who will be able to be of help to secretary Mar in his platform for good governance. It would be very hard if we don’t prepare,” Tanada, who is also a lawyer, argued.
“The ball is on senator Poe’s court…if she will accept or reject the invitation of secretary Mar. If senator Poe would be secretary Mar’s running mate, what do we have to lose [in campaigning for Leni]? We don’t lose anything because Leni is also being considered as a senate bet of LP—a national position just the same [as vice president],” Tañada added.
Congresswoman Robredo is the widow of the late award-winning public servant, former Interior and local government secretary Jesse Robredo who died in a plane crash in August 2012.
Senator Poe, on the other hand, is the daughter of the late actor and National Artist Fernando Poe, Jr who lost in the fraud-marred 2004 presidential race. President Aquino then appointed the younger Poe as chairperson of the Movie and Television Classification and Review Board in 2010.
Poe then topped the 2013 senatorial elections under the administration’s senate slate dubbed as Team PNoy.
Both women have not been linked to any corruption controversy during their relatively short stint as elected officials thus far.
Tañada clarified that both women with spotless record of wrongdoings in public service are not being pitted against each other.
“They won’t be in conflict. They won’t contradict each other. Leni even said that she will be very happy if senator Poe agrees to be the running mate of secretary Mar,” Tañada said.
The support of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) will play a big role in Sen. Grace Poe’s possible 2016 bid.
Poe made the admission in the aftermath of her meeting with around 35 NPC members at NPC Clubhouse in New Manila, Quezon City, late Tuesday.
Present were NPC stalwarts senator Vicente Sotto, 3rd, representatives Giorgidi Aggabao of Isabela, Dong Mendoza of Batangas, Mark Enverga of Quezon, Napoleon Dy of Isabela, Evelina Escudero of Sorsogon, as well as former representative Jack Duavit of Rizal, Valenzuela City mayor Rex Gatchalian, and party-list representative Rodel Batocabe of Ako Bicol, Amang Magsaysay of Alliance of Volunteer Educators, and Stephen Paduano of Abang Lingkod, among others.
“Kokonsulta pa sila sa kanilang liderato [sa pag eendorso ng kanditato]…pero malaking bagay ang suporta ng NPC…sila ay nationwide, marami sa kanila nakasama na ni FPJ…sila ay mga governor, congressman na makakasama natin kung saka-sakali (They will still consult with their members, but their support would be a big help. They have members nationwide, have been with FPJ…they have governors, congressmen, who will be our partners should we proceed further),” Poe told reporters.
Poe was referring to the 2004 presidential elections wherein the NPC members backed the presidential bid of her late father, actor Fernando Poe, Jr. The elder Poe lost the fraud-marred race to then-incumbent president Gloria Arroyo.
Senator Poe’s father died half a year after his election defeat due to aneurysm, and was later named as a National Artist for Film.
The NPC, headed by ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco, Jr, which has around 70 members occupying local government, congressional, and senate posts across the country, is the second largest political party next to the ruling Liberal Party (LP).
Cojuangco, who chairs the LP, is the uncle of president Benigno Aquino 3rd.
“I think a lot of them were encouraging and supportive [of me]. The pledge is more on individual capacities from a lot of their members. What I ask from them is the things we can do for local governments…for agriculture, irrigation, post harvest facilities they need, so we can study it well and plan ahead,” Poe said.
Senator Poe served as the chairperson of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board before landing the top spot in the 2013 elections. The senator, however, does not belong to any political party.