Binay allies unfazed by Poe’s overtake

By NITZ ARANCON, Correspondent

ALLIES of Vice President Jejomar Binay here were unfazed over the latest results of a Pulse Asia survey that showed their presidential bet’s ratings taking a nosedive, and Sen. Grace Poe now the top preference for the presidency.Misamis Oriental Vice Gov. Jose Mari Pelaez said the survey results posed a big challenge to Binay.“This is a big challenge to the Vice President Binay and his team but it’s still a long way to be before the 2016 election, and many things can happen in between,” Pelaez told the Gold Star Daily. He said the survey results also mean that Binay is now an underdog but “I have seen how hard the Vice President works, and I am confident that he will work harder to overcome this.” Pelaez added: “I am for Binay.” Like the vice governor, two of Binay’s political allies in the city said theu were unfazed and would continue supporting the vice president.

Councilor Ramon Tabor said Poe won sympathy votes when Binay’s close associates raised citizenship and residency questions against Poe. Councilor Alexander Dacer agreed, saying that when the issues were raised Poe became an “angel from heaven” in the eyes of many people. “Personally, kadtong paglabay sa issue nga citizenship ug residency, nakakuha ug mga sympathy votes si Poe that resulted in an increase in her ratings,” said Tabor. The Pulse Asia survey was carried out from May 30 to June 5, and the results show Poe’s ratings soared to 30 percentage points while Binay’s ratings plunged from 29 percent to 22 percent.The citizenship and residency issues, and Poe’s being a foundling, were raised early this month by Binay spokesperson and United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) interim president Toby Tiangco. Meanwhile, Dacer said he was worried about the possibility of a Poe presidency, saying the senator lacked experience in government.“Pastilan kon si Poe ma-oy ma-presidente sa Pilipinas, mag-unsa na man lang ta, nga sigurado man ko nga ang iyang administrasyon anang panahona, huyang, kay wala pa may iyang kasinati-an sa pagdumala sa gobyerno,” said Dacer.

Dacer however said he was also unconvinced that Binay would be better, saying the vice president was already old. But he was quick to add that he would support Binay’s bid for the presidency because his party, the Padayon Pilipino, is behind Binay.“Kapartido man namo siya. So, botar lang gihapon ko niya,” Dacer said. In a statement posted on her website, Sen. Poe stated: “Muli, ako ay mapagpakumbabang nagpapasalamat sa tiwalang ipinagkakaloob ng ating mga kababayan. Kasama po nila akong naghahangad ng isang bansa kung saan makakapamuhay ang bawat Pilipino na may patas na oportunidad atpagkakataong umunlad. Ang tinig ng ating mga kababayan ay mahalaga sa akin.”

But Poe told ANC yesterday that she was still undecided, knowing full well that a presidential candidate has to have a clear program of government before a decision could be made.