Will Mar, Heart endorse Chiz in 2013?

MANILA, Philippines – He endorsed Vice President Jejomar Binay in 2010 but can Sen Francis Escudero expect any support from Interior Secretary Mar Roxas this time around?

During the Kapihan sa Senado press forum, Escudero stopped short of confirming that he is running under both Roxas and Binay’s senatorial slates for his 2013 reelection bid.

The senator said he already had informal talks with the ruling Liberal Party (LP) and the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) and is just waiting for the official announcements from the two groups. Roxas is LP president.

With LP including Escudero in its ticket, will Roxas endorse Binay’s ally?

“Hindi ba kasama at kasabay na iyon kapagka-napasama ako sa koalisyon dahil siya ang tumatayong pangulo ng Liberal Party? [Pero] hindi para sa akin sabihin iyon. Sana siyempre, bakit hindi pero hindi sa akin para sabihin o idikta iyon,” Escudero said on Thursday, September 27. (Doesn’t that come with being part of the coalition because he is the president of the Liberal Party? But it’s not for me to say that. Hopefully of course, why not but it’s not for me to say or dictate that.) 

Roxas and Binay were bitter rivals for the vice presidency in 2010 and Escudero’s endorsement of the latter in the final days was seen as crucial to Binay’s campaign. Roxas filed an election protest against Binay’s victory.

The senator announced that he is filing his certificate of candidacy on Tuesday, October 2. This is the first time he is running as an independent candidate, after leaving the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) in 2009.

Escudero reiterated that he is not choosing between Binay and another ally, President Benigno Aquino III, who is LP chairman. He stressed that the two are allies and have the same platforms and programs.

Besides, Escudero said party politics is not a factor in the ballot. 

“Sa tingin ko naman hindi bumoboto ang botante base sa partidong kinabibilangan ng isang kandidato. Bumoboto ang botante base sa kandidato mismo at kung ano ang pinanghahahawakan niyang prinsipyo, plataporma at hindi ang partidong dinadala niya o kinabibilangan niya.” (I think voters do not vote based on the party that a candidate belongs to. Voters vote based on the candidates’ principles, platforms, and not on his or her party.)

Asked if he was torn between two lovers, Escudero quipped, “Hindi kasi hindi ko naman sila lover.” (No, because they are not my lovers.) 

‘Number 1 not important’

Aside from LP and UNA, Escudero said his former partymates at the NPC have promised to support his senatorial bid. 

“We have not talked about the financial or other kinds of help but I talked to the president and chairman of the party and it was agreed that I am one of those who will be carried by the party this elections but if I’m joining the LP coalition, because NPC is part of that, it will already be automatic,” Escudero said in Filipino.

Escudero said he is not concerned about beating his former NPC partymate, Senator Loren Legarda, for the number one rank in the senatorial race. Like Escudero, Legarda will likely run under both LP and UNA banners. 

“Importante sa akin manalo sa eleksyong ito. Mahirap ang nagyayabang at nag-aambisyon baka madapa at matisod,” said Escudero. (What is important to me is I win. It’s hard to be arrogant and ambitious and then stumble.)

“Kung inuugnay mo iyan sa 2016, wala pa maliban kay Pangulong Arroyo, na duda pa ako kung totoo iyon, ang nanalo sa pagkapresidente na nag-number 1 sa kung ano mang senatorial eleksyon so hindi iyon basehan ng pagkapanalo.”  (If you relate it to 2016, no one except President Arroyo, whose victory I still doubt, won as president after topping the senatorial elections so that’s not a basis for the presidency.

In the September Pulse Asia survey, Escudero trailed Legarda and got a rank of 2. He was also second to Legarda in the 2007 senatorial polls.

Shared candidate ‘not unfair’

Escudero said being a candidate of both slates will not pose a problem because the campaign leaders already plan to campaign in small teams.

“Even in the 2007 elections, we only had campaign sorties in 30 out of 90 days. The rest of the time, it’s up to the candidate. In this election, we may have fewer sorties because of the expenses involved if the slate campaigns as one.”

He also defended himself from criticism that being a guest candidate is unfair to other senatorial aspirants. 

“Lahat ng tumatakbo, kung bibigyan ng pagkakataon, siguro gugustuhin din nila iyon Pero ang magpapasya niyan ang mga miyembro at lider ng ibang koalisyon.” (All those running, given a chance, will want that situation. But it’s up to the members and leaders of the coalition to decide.)

Heart as endorser?

If Roxas is not sure to endorse his candidacy, Escudero said neither is celebrity Heart Evangelista. The actress has been linked to the senator, whose marriage has been annulled.

“Di pa kami nagpapasya kaugnay ng kampanya at kung anong gagawin namin kaugnay ng kampanya dahil malayo-layo pa iyon. Hindi namin pinag-uusapan iyan… sa campaign team!” (We have not decided about the campaign, what we will do because it’s still a long way off. We have not discussed that … in the campaign team!)

Asked if getting the actress as his endorser is a good idea, Escudero said he does not know.

“Ugali ko kasi hindi ko hinahalo as much as possible ang personal kong buhay sa pulitika.” (It’s my habit to separate as much as possible my personal life from politics.) – Rappler.com