WATCH: Susan Roces, Neil Llamanzares hope for Grace Poe win, wish for ‘unity’

MANILA, Philippines – For Grace Poe’s loved ones – her mother Susan Roces and husband Teodoro Misael Daniel “Neil” Llamanzares – the end of the campaign season comes as a relief. But as they had cast their votes on Election Day, May 9, the two also expressed their hopes that the outcome would be what is best for the country.

The two separately spoke with reporters at chance interviews at their polling precinct, Cluster 55 at Xavier School, San Juan City. 

They were with Grace’s son, Brian Llamanzares, while Poe herself voted elsewhere in Sta Lucia Elementary School – also in San Juan.

Veteran actress Susan Roces shared with reporters: “Ang panalangin ko – kaya madalas ko nang sinasabi – kung anong makakabuti sa ating bayan, ‘yun sana ang magwagi. Whatever the outcome.”

(My prayer is – I always say this – whatever is best for our country, I hope that would triumph.)

Roces also admitted that they are nervous about the outcome. “Lahat may kaba. ‘Di natin maialis yun,” she said. “Sa bawat eleksyon, siyempre, walang katiyakan kung ano ang magiging resulta. Kaya madalas ang sinasabi ko, sana ang maging resulta, yung makakabuti sa atin lahat, lalo na sa ating bayan.”

(Everyone is nervous. We can’t get rid of that easily. Every election, of course, there’s no certainty about the results yet. This is why I often say that I hope the results would be for everyone’s good, especially for our nation.)

The actress also reminisced about times with her late husband and Grace’s adoptive father, Fernando Poe Jr. “[Kapag] ganitong pumupunta sa prisinto para bumoto, siyempre naaalala ko, dati-rati sabay kami (Whenever we head to the polls to vote, of course I remember [him]. We used to go together.”

Fernando Poe ran for president in 2004, but lost to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. His camp claimed that he had been cheated.

She reflected about how intense and tight the presidential race had been across the campaign period.

“Hindi ko ugaling magbigay ng payo na hindi hinihingi sa akin. Personally isinasantabi ko at hinihiwalay ko ang tungkol sa personal relationships at choice ng kandidato. Maaring hindi mo gusto yung kandidato, pero kung mabuti siya para sa bayan, bakit naman hindi? Kung personal din lang.”

(It’s not my habit to give unsolicited opinions. I personally set aside and separate matters about personal relationships and choice of candidates. You may not like one candidate, but if that candidate is the best for the country, why not him or her? That’s if we’re being personal here.)

“Pero kung yung prinsipyo din ang pinaglalaban – iba yung kinamulatan, iba yung nakagisnan – kaya may kanya-kanya tayong criteria sa ating ihahalal. Pero hindi ngayon ang panahon para pag-usapan yan, dahil tapos na ang kampanya,” she added.

(But if we’re fighting for principles here – we were raised differently, in different circumstances – this is why we have our own criteria for voting. But this is not the proper time to discuss this because campaign season is over.)

Roces summed up her wishes, “Ang inaasahan ko ay [pagkakaisa], para kung anong makakabuti sa ating bansa (I only wish for unity, for what’s best for our country).”

Neil Llamanzares, meanwhile, also told reporters about his thoughts about the campaign season that was. 

He said, “Marami tayong pinagdaanan. Palagi nating iniisip na ano yung pinakamabuti para sa kinabukasan ng bansa. So medyo mabigat para kay Grace, at siyempre, gusto natin na siya na nga ang magiging bagong pangulo. Pero kung di ‘yon ang mangyayari, ‘di yon ang gusto ng ating bansa, okay din.”

(We’ve been through many things. We always think about what’s best for the nation’s future. So it’s been a bit tough for Grace, and of course, we want her to be the new president. But if that’s not the outcome, if that’s not what the nation wants, it’s okay.)

He echoed his wife’s sentiments, “Grace has always said [whoever wins] should be supported, whatever happens in the future, whatever administration, because she’s always been for unity.”

As of this writing, the latest pre-election polls show Duterte leading with an average of 35.4%, followed by Poe at 22.8%, and Roxas at 19.3%. – Rappler.com