Grace Poe on UNA: “I’m not a traitor”

When the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) recently dropped three candidates from its senatorial lineup, namely, Francisco Escudero, Loren Legarda and Grace Poe, the latter was called as a traitor for joining the administration’s Team Pnoy since UNA is spearheaded by former President Joseph Estrada, a very close friend of her father, the late Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ).
In an interview yesterday at the Probinsya Restaurant here, Grace Poe told media practitioners that she does not deserve to be called a traitor because UNA dropped her from the slate and “they don’t have any hold on me.”
“Kami yung sinipa, kami pa ang traidor, maliwanag sa simula pa lang na walang kondisyon na kailangang sumama kami sa kanilang pag-iikot, kaya nga nakakagulat nalang na binibigyan kami ng taning na kailangang magpakita kami, kung hindi aalisin kami sa line-up,”, Poe explained.
She said that they had been invited to join the slate of UNA with no conditions and suddenly they are surprised that they are already out of the lineup.
She recalled that President Benigno Aquino invited her to run for the senate, but she chose to remain independent and did not join the Liberal Party or UNA. “UNA adopted us two days before we filed our candidacy and it was agreed that there would be no conditions applied,” she added.
Even with the issue being thrown at her, Poe continues her campaign, particularly in Mindanao. She said Mindanao is her top priority if she is given a chance to gain a seat in the Senate.
“The budget for Mindanao should be bigger this time because it will help a lot in social protection, education, hospitals and schools,” Poe said, adding that, the national government should also give a budget for Mindanaoans who have skills in film-making.
Meanwhile, Senator Francisco ‘Chiz’ Escudero commented on the allegation directed at Poe, he said that he had been the spokesperson for the late FPJ during his presidential candidacy last 2004.
“Sila pa may lakas ng loob na gumamit ng salitang traidor kay Grace? Saan ba sila nung tumakbo si FPJ? Si Grace na ang sinugatan, tapos sila pa ang nagdadramang nalulungkot at umiiyak, at pagkatapos gusto pa nilang magpasalamat si Grace?,”Escudero explained, adding that Poe is not deserving for such accusation.
He added that UNA’s decision of removing him and Poe is a big loss but he harbors no ill will toward UNA and its leaders after its decision to junk them. “I still believe that outside of politics, we’d still be friends,” he added.
Escudero said that while he will remain an independent candidate, he would now be joining most of the campaign hops of Team PNoy after UNA’s decision.
“It does not mean that I choose them, it’s just that the Liberal Party doesn’t have conditions, no ultimatums and no threats, I guess that makes a difference,” Escudero added.