MANILA, Philippines – Former senator and 2016 senatorial candidate Richard “Dick” Gordon said he would not file a separate disqualification petition against Senator Grace Poe, even if he is next in line in the event she is disqualified.

Gordon admitted to Rappler that various political groups, as well as party mates in the Bagumbayan–Volunteers for a New Philippines, are convincing him to file a case against Poe on the basis of her alleged questionable citizenship. Gordon earlier said he was “sure” that the camps of Binay and administration standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II are behind the case against Poe.

Gordon told Rappler he is “not opportunistic.” Besides, he said, he does not believe in the integrity of the automated elections, anyway.

“Why would I? They say I owe it to my constituency but I’m not opportunistic. Besides, I believe the 2010 and 2013 elections are rigged. Where is the source code until now?” Gordon told Rappler in an interview.

Gordon ran and lost in the 2010 presidential elections. 

In 2013, he ran for the Senate under Vice President Jejomar Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance but placed 13th in a race for 12 slots.

Weeks before the elections, Gordon asked the Supreme Court to order the Commission on Elections to open the source code or the “master blueprint” followed by the 2013 ballot-counting machines for review. (READ: Gordon brings source code issue to SC)  

Presidency ‘not inherited’

While Gordon is keen on sparing Poe another disqualification case, he said this does not mean he is rooting for her.

“You cannot inherit the presidency, you have to ask if you have what it takes to run for presidency,” Gordon said.

Gordon told Rappler there are no deserving candidates so far. After all, he said Poe has competency and citizenship issues, Roxas is linked to the botched Mamasapano incident and the “poor government response” in Yolanda, and Binay has not answered the corruption allegations against him.

“You have to discern progress. It should not be based on popularity or be directed by surveys. We will never progress because we keep on electing the same people. It’s fool’s paradise,” Gordon said.

Asked if he has plans in 2016, Gordon said he remains undecided, citing family as main reason.

He, however, admitted the Vice President talked to him to run for senator next year.

“Di ako maka-decide (I still can’t decide). I’m trying to gauge the people. Also, if I run for senator, under whom? Pare-parehas na naman (Just the same names),” Gordon said. – Rappler.com