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PNoy meets Grace Poe anew, tells her to be ready  


(Updated 5:33 p.m.) Senator Grace Poe on Wednesday confirmed her second meeting with President Benigno Aquino III earlier in the day, but added that there was no clear offer made by the President except being told "to be ready."
 
“Wala namang sinasabi ang Pangulo na kailangan ay katambal mo ganito o gawin mo yan, basta lang ay maging handa kung saka-sakali na sana ay maipagpatuloy yung maayos na pamamalakad,” Poe told reporters.
 
She said the meeting was held 1 p.m. inside Aquino’s office in Malacañang. Poe said he only got confirmation of the meeting Wednesday morning.
 
“Last minute, kanina na-confirm na tuloy yung aming meeting. Nag-usap kami gaya nga ng sinasabi ko na patuloy ang pag-uusap namin,” she said.
 
The neophyte senator said they talked about the citizenship and residency issues she faced last week as well as other matters relating to the 2016 elections.
 
“Tinatanong ko sa kanya yung ibang programa ng gobyerno, nagpapa-update ako gaya ng mga programa na nakakatulong sa mga mahihirap at inesplika niya sa akin yung mga irigasyon para sa magsasaka, yun po yung aming mga tinutukan,” she said.
 
“Pero syempre, hindi ko naman ipagkakaila ang kanya talaga ay papaano rin ang transition, let’s say sa 2016, kung sino yung magpapatuloy,” she added.

Independent
 
During their meeting, Poe said she mentioned to the President her intention to remain independent if ever she seeks a higher post in in 2016. 
 
“Sinabi niya na sa Liberal Party daw patas sila mamili, lahat sila ay may opinyon at hindi lang iisa o iilang tao lamang. Sinabi ko sa kanya na ginagalang ko yun pero dahil nga independent ako at nangyari yung 2013 coalition nasabi ko sa kanya yung aking opinyon tungkol dito,” she said. 

In a radio interview, Poe admitted that she is comfortable talking about her political plans only with the President, and not with the ruling party. Aquino is LP national chairman. 

"Sa palagay ko, ang Pangulo ay mapagkakatiwalaan ko ... kaya lang po hindi naman nangangahulugan na ang lahat ng kasama niya at kanyang mga kapartido ay ganoong katapat. Marami pong bumubuo niyan," Poe said. 

"May mga bagay na sa Pangulo ko maididiretso lamang. Sa pagkatao naman niya ako ay kumpiyansa," she added. 

During her first meeting with the President in May, Poe said they discussed the importance of selecting a candidate who will continue the reforms initiated by the present administration. 
 
In that meeting, Poe also asked Aquino if she could rely on his support and that of the LP if she decides to seek a higher position in 2016.
 
At the time, Poe said LP’s presumptive candidate, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, joined the latter part of their meeting. 

Tandem with Chiz?

Meanwhile, in the same radio interview, Poe admitted talking to Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero about a possible tandem for 2016. 
 
"Kami ni Senator Chiz ay nag-uusap kung saka-sakali kung ano ang una naming dapat gawin. Unang-una wala naman kaming pera, wala kaming organisasyon pero marami kaming mga kaibigan na talagang gustong tumulong," she said.

Escudero first disclose the possible Poe-Chiz tandem on Monday, but stressed that nothing final has been reached yet.

"Wala pang pagkakasundo, wala pang desisyon," Escudero replied when asked about the possible Poe-Chiz tandem at the time.
 
"May pag-uusap. Di ko pwedeng ikaila 'yun, pero kung may desisyon o pasya na, wala pa, dahil hindi katulad ng iba na may pondo at partido, kami wala noon. So siguro tama lang na mahabang panahon ang gugulin ni Senator Poe, ko at kung sakali, kaming dalawa sa anumang pagpasya namin sa pagtakbo o di naming pagtakbo sa 2016," he said.

Binay still hopeful

Vice President Jejomar Binay said Wednesday he is not losing hope that President Benigno Aquino III will consider him as the best person to replace him in 2016.
 
"Andun pa rin ang aking paniniwala na pagdating ng oras ay dadating ako sa yugto na kokonsiderahin niya ako. Konsiderasyon lang naman," Binay said during a weekly Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum.
 
"Basta umaasa ako [na] hanggang sa huling sandali, hanggang sa araw ng halalan, makokonsidera ako. Mayroon namang suportang patalikod," he added.
 
Asked when he will resign from his post in preparation for the 2016 campaign, Binay said he will announce it at the right time. "Eventually darating tayo dun. Sa ngayon secret," he said. —with Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/RSJ/NB, GMA News
 
 

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