By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS
IT’S not only Sen. Grace Poe who surged as shown in the results of Pulse Asia’s survey of the people’s pulse for the 2016 elections conducted two weeks ago.
Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said he is happy that his score increased by 150 percent! From four percent last March which put him in seventh place, he is now number four with 10 percent. He tied with former President and now Manila mayor Joseph Estrada.
That’s a classic example of looking at the glass half full.
People were more focused with Poe taking the lead in the contest among possible presidential candidates in May 2016 with 30 per cent, a remarkable 16 percentage points increase from Pulse Asia’s March survey pushing Vice President Jejomar Binay, who continues his slide from 29 per cent last March to 22 per cent in the latest surve, to second place.
The results of Pulse Asia’s latest survey will surely increase the bandwagon for Grace Poe- for- president in 2016 making it less likely for her to settle to a vice presidential bid although that position is hers for the asking according to the same Pulse Asia survey.
She is also the top choice of the people for vice president with 41 per cent followed by Sen. Chiz Escudero with 15 per cent.
A Roxas-Poe tandem has become less likely.
How about Poe-Roxas then?
Poe’s advisers said they are wary of that scenario because it could be a trap.
A Poe-Roxas team would mean the popular senator running under a coalition led by the Liberal Party.
Poe’s advisers sees danger especially with Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice joining those who are raising the residency issue against the lady senator.
They pointed out Sec. 77 of the Omnibus Election Code (Batas Pambansa 881) which is about substitution in case of death, disqualification or withdrawal of a candidate. It says:
“If after the last day for the filing of certificates of candidacy, an official candidate of a registered or accredited political party dies, withdraws or is disqualified for any cause, only a person belonging to, and certified by, the same political party may file a certificate of candidacy to replace the candidate who died, withdrew or was disqualified. The substitute candidate nominated by the political party concerned may file his certificate of candidacy for the office affected in accordance with the preceding sections not later than mid-day of the day of the election. If the death, withdrawal or disqualification should occur between the day before the election and mid-day of election day, said certificate may be filed with any board of election inspectors in the political subdivision where he is a candidate, or, in the case of candidates to be voted for by the entire electorate of the country, with the Commission.”
A source raised this scenario: “What if Mar agrees to be Grace’s running mate and someone files a disqualification case against her. Then in the last stretch of the campaign, the Supreme Court says Grace is not qualified? Mar becomes the presidential candidate.”
The best option for Poe is to run as independent. She does not need the endorsement of President Aquino.
An Aquino endorsement for Poe could even be a minus because of the taint of the Mamasapano tragedy, the Yolanda debacle, the incompetence as symbolized by the MRT and many more.
It’s Roxas who needs the endorsement of Aquino. He might get it with his 150 percent increase in the surveys ratings.
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