Grace Poe on Chiz Escudero: He has integrity

Mara Cepeda

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Grace Poe on Chiz Escudero: He has integrity

JJR

The presidential aspirant defends her running mate amid claims he will just abandon her

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Grace Poe assured the public that she has full confidence in her running mate, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, after some of her supporters claimed he is not to be trusted.

Ako po ay kumpiyansa sa pagkatao ni Senator Chiz. Siya naman ay may integridad,” said the presidential aspirant in a press conference on Tuesday, December 29.

(I trust Senator Chiz’s character. He has integrity.)

It was Poe’s first public appearance after the Supreme Court (SC) ruled in her favor and issued temporary restraining orders (TROs) against the Commission on Elections’ majority decision to bar her presidential bid.

A day before, Poe’s supporters staged a rally in front of the SC. While they expressed support for the embattled candidate, some of them tagged Escudero as “Boy Laglag” (Fair-Weather Ally) and “Ahas-cudero,” a play on the Filipino word “ahas (snake).”

Photos of their posters went viral on Twitter, and made “Chiz” the 8th top trending topic in the Philippines.

RUNNING MATES. Senators Grace Poe and Chiz Escudero in Butuan City on October 2, 2015. File photo from Poe-Escudero Media Bureau

Poe, however, believes Escudero remains on her side.

2004 pa lang, mahirap po ang pinagdaanan namin. Hindi niya naman po kami nilaglag,” said the senator. 

(We went through difficult times in 2004. He didn’t leave us behind.)

Poe was referring to the time Escudero served as spokesman for her father, the late action star Fernando Poe Jr, who ran for president. Escudero is a long-time ally of the family.

Kayo na po ang humusga. Sa tingin ko naman, isa siya sa mga patuloy na tumutulong, dumedepensa sa atin,” Poe added.

(You be the judge. I think he is one of the people who continue to help and defend us.)

Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian, Poe’s campaign spokesman, also dismissed the allegations as “black propaganda” on Monday.

“The recent story being circulated that Senator Chiz has abandoned Senator Grace is baseless and a barefaced lie. If the people behind this story plan to drive a wedge between the two candidates, they should stop wasting their time as the two candidates continue to fight this battle together, side-by-side,” Gatchalian said. – Rappler.com

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Mara Cepeda

Mara Cepeda specializes in stories about politics and local governance. She covers the Office of the Vice President, the Senate, and the Philippine opposition. She is a 2021 fellow of the Asia Journalism Fellowship and the Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship of the UN. Got tips? Email her at mara.cepeda@rappler.com or tweet @maracepeda.