Why she tops surveys again? Grace Poe in her own words…

Grace Poe flew to Cebu Wednesday morning, February 10, only a few hours after her campaign launch in Plaza Miranda in Manila wrapped up the night before. But she was in a good mood – and had good reason to be so.

The day before, in the morning, a second survey came out, confirming that she had regained the top spot in presidential preference surveys. In the afternoon – just as her proclamation rally had started – Supreme Court Justice Francis Jardeleza’s interpellation in the oral arguments on her disqualification case seemed to show he was siding with Poe as a natural-born citizen.

So what caused Poe’s survey numbers to rise again? Rappler asked for her own analysis at a breakfast press conference in Toledo, Cebu.

Perhaps tired of answering several serious questions before that – about an alleged assassination plot, her disqualification cases, Mamasapano hearings – the candidate tried to lighten the mood.

With several television cameras watching her, Poe pulled the microphone away, looked the Rappler reporter in the eye, and said with a mischievous smile: “My pleasing personality.” 

She did give her real analysis afterwards – citing having visited many provinces, her effective advertisements, and what she believes is the elimination of doubts that she is indeed a qualified and viable candidate for president.

But she sure gave reporters a really good laugh. – Ryan Macasero/Rappler.com