Poe tells Roxas: You don't have to wait for me

Published August 17, 2015 5:13pm

You don't have to wait for me.

That's Senator Grace Poe's message to Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, saying that he is free to consider other running mates as she has yet to decide whether or not she will seek a higher post in next year's elections.

“Ako ay nagpapasalamat na bukas ang kanilang pinto pero hindi ko hinihikayat na maghintay sila kung ito ay labag sa kanilang plano o loob,” Poe told reporters Monday when asked about her meeting with Roxas.

“Sabi ko nga sa kanya, marami ka namang ibang pagpipiliian,” she added.

Asked if that means she already rejected Roxas’ proposal, Poe said she knows the presumptive Liberal Party standard bearer to be patient unlike his allies in the administration party.

“Bagama’t si Secretary Mar ay mapagpasensiya, may mga kasama siya na iba naman ang pagkilos. Sabi ko, naiintindihan ko na hindi sila puwedeng maghintay nang matagalan lalung-lalo na kung mag-oorganisa sila. Pero para sa akin, hindi naman siya mawawalan ng kasama dahil ang dami nilang pinagpipilian,” she said.

Poe said she will not be swayed by the courting process and instead will go for what is good for the country.

“Ang para sa akin paninindigan ko kung ano ang makabubuti sa bayan kahit na ang panunuyo ay napakatamis. Ang sinasabi ko lang, generally, kahit na napakatamis ng pagsuyo mo nasa puso pa rin ang desisyon kung ano ang nararapat,” she said.

She said Roxas was accompanied by their common friend, a private citizen, whom she refused to name.

“Mabilis lang naman kasi pagkatapos ito ng hapunan at gabi at lahat kami may gagawin pa kinabukasan. Pero marami kaming napag-usapan, kasama na doon iyong 2016 at kahit na personal na bagay,” she said.

In the same interview, Poe admitted that Roxas personally asked her to be his running mate but that she has yet to decide on the matter.

“Personal niya akong official na tinanong. Ang sagot ko naman ay salamat sa konsiderasyon pero ako ay nagpapasya pa sa mga panahong ito,” she said.

“I dont want to mislead anybody or to give false hopes, basta ang sinasabi ko at this point, nagdedesisyon pa ako, pinag-aaralan ko mabuti at nasa sa kanila yun kung maghihintay sila,” she added.

Black propaganda

Poe said she discussed with Roxas the criticisms and black propaganda allegedly being hurled against her by some LP members.

“Sinabi ko sa kanya, alam mo, secretary, tayo pag nag-uusap diretsahan pero may mga tao kayo na talagang tinitira ako sa likod. Alam ko iyon sapagkat nakakarating sa akin kung saan-saang mga venue. Handa naman kami sa legalidad (ng mga issue) pero hanggang sinusuyo ako pero kabaligtaran naman ang ginagawa ng iba. Ano ba naman iyon,” she said.

Poe said Roxas denied that LP members are behind the black propaganda against the neophyte senator.

“Ang sabi niya, ang pagkakaalam niya, hindi galing sa kampo niya. Pero 'di ba may mga sinasabi na mapakla raw ako dahil nga hindi pa ako hinog, galing iyan sa kampo nila. Okay lang kasi ang manibalang may halong tamis at asim na kailangan din natin,” she said.

“Sabi niya hindi niya papayagan ang ganoon dahil iyon ang sinabi ng Pangulo, na kami ay magkasama sa layunin sa ating mga kababayan na huwag magsiraan,” she aded.

'Sa tamang panahon'

Roxas, who was in Calamba, Laguna on Monday to distribute police patrol jeeps, earlier confirmed the meeting.

"Siguro ang the best is just nag-usap kami nitong nakaraang mga araw at mayroon pang mga pag-uusap sa darating na araw," he said.

He added that he is not setting a timeline for when the Roxas-Poe ticket will be firmed up.

"Well, iyong tandem na iyan ay parang si AlDub lang yan eh. Hashtag: may tamang panahon. So mangyayari at mangyayari iyan sa tamang panahon," said Roxas, referring to the popular love team on Eat Bulaga featuring Alden Richards and Yaya Dub.

Poe had her own Eat Bulaga-themed take on the issue. "Yung tamang panahon lamang, dahil ayaw naman natin na mauwi tayo kay Frankie," said Poe, referring to Yaya Dub's unwanted suitor on the kalye-serye.

Poe said they will have another meeting but no date was set yet.

She said there was no deadline set during their meeting but she has her own timetable on when to decide whether to run for higher office. She refused to say when it would be.

“Wala naman kaming napag-usapang mga deadline na ganoon pero ang sinasabi ko nga ang deadline ay dapat na manggaling sa iyong sarili dahil ikaw ang makakatantya sa sarili mo kung kakayanin mo ito,” she said.

Poe, meanwhile, denied rumors that she will announce her decision on August 20, the birth anniversary of her father, the late Fernando Poe Jr.

“Wala akong ia-announce sa August 20 sapagkat ito ay birthday ni FPJ at ang atensyon po ay sa kanya,” he said. — JDS/ALG/RSJ/JJ/JST, GMA News

Tags: gracepoe, marroxas, eleksyon2016