MANILA – Presidential aspirant Grace Poe, together with her running-mate Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, today bared the complete list of her senatorial candidates for next year’s national elections.
In a gathering at the historic Club Filipino in San Juan City, Poe introduced Senators Ralph Recto and Vicente “Tito” Sotto; former Senators Richard “Dick” Gordon and Juan Miguel Zubiri; Congressmen Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian, Roman Romulo, Neri Colmenares and Samuel Pagdilao; former Labor Undersecretary Susan “Toots” Ople; Manila Vice Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso; lawyer Lorna Kapunan; and actor-host Edu Manzano comprising her senatorial lineup for the coming general elections.
Some senatorial bets of the ruling Liberal Party (LP) and the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) were also included in Poe’s senatorial ticket as guest candidates.
.@sengracepoe & @SayChiz to launch their senatorial slate today. #PartidoGalingAtPuso #WalangMaiiwan #GraceChiz2016 pic.twitter.com/kBi0y8dexj
— Chiz News Central (@ChizNewsCentral) October 28, 2015
Supporters of Poe-Escudero senatorial slate started to arrive at Club Filipino. #PartidoGalingAtPuso pic.twitter.com/VkOhlaMbB9
— Chiz News Central (@ChizNewsCentral) October 29, 2015
The full senatorial slate of Poe-Escudero tandem. #PartidoGALINGatPUSO pic.twitter.com/tWFBYrtYu4
— Chiz News Central (@ChizNewsCentral) October 29, 2015
#PartidoGALINGatPUSO campaign manager Ace Durano now addressing the crowd at Club Filipino. pic.twitter.com/wgV2dYAc60
— Chiz News Central (@ChizNewsCentral) October 29, 2015
Win
Edu
Lorna
COlmenares
Migz
MorenoPagdilao
Romulo
Ople
Gordon
REcto
SottoWELCOMM PROGRES!#PartidoGALINGatPUSO pic.twitter.com/uuv9rp4Wv9
— Chiz News Central (@ChizNewsCentral) October 29, 2015
Lacson’s exclusion
Senator Poe also apologized today to former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson for excluding him in her final Senate slate for the May 2016 elections.
“Ako po ay nagpapasalamat pero himihingi rin ako ng pasensya at paumanhin sa kanya. Hindi po ‘yun ang naging intension (I am thanking but also asking for an apology to him. That was not the intention),” she said, addressing Lacson who claimed that he was dropped from her complete senatorial lineup in favor of Manzano.
The neophyte senator admitted that her camp considered Lacson in their Senate slate but reconsidered as he was also eyed by LP and UNA. She then disclosed that they opted for candidates who needed their support more.
“Malakas na si Senator Lacson at karapat-dapat din [siyang tumakbo bilang Senador]. Isang karangalan na masama siya sa isang slate. Kaya lamang po, merong ibang walang partido at bigyan din natin ng pagkakataon ang mga kababayan na makita sila,” she said.
(Senator Lacson is already a strong candidate and deserves to seek the Senate. It is a privilege to have him in a slate. However, there are candidates who do not have a party that we want to give a chance to reach out to the Filipino people.)
Poe asserted that although he was not part of her senatorial ticket, she believed that the former senator still had a high chance of being elected.
“Kahit naman wala siya officially sa aming partido, naniniwala rin kami sa kanya (Even if he is not officially with our party, we believe in him),” she added.