Grace Poe does not need the LP, can run for president as an independent – Erap

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said on Monday that Senator Grace Poe had a good chance of winning the 2016 Presidential Elections even if she ran as an independent, without help from the ruling Liberal Party.

Estrada, a stalwart of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance or UNA, added that Poe could instead form political alliances to propel herself to victory should she decide to run for president. “Puwede, meron namang coalition outside the Liberal Party,” he explained.

Estrada pointed out that he himself did well in the 2010 elections without help from a major political party. "Noong ako’y tumakbong presidente halos wala akong partido. I have my own party, PMP (Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino). Ngayon hindi na masyadong uso ang partido,” Estrada stated.

However, should Poe decide to run for president, Estrada admitted that he would have to make the difficult decision of choosing between her, the daughter of his best friend Fernado Poe Jr. and Vice President Jejomar Binay whom he calls “kumpadre.”

Recent polls on possible presidential candidates showed the still undecided Poe ranking second to Vice President Jejomar Binay, who has long declared his intention to run for President.

And speculation on a possible Poe presidential run were fueled further when she met with President Benigo Aquino III  in Malacañang to discuss the 2016 elections. However, factions in the Liberal Party reportedly preferred DILG Secretary Mar Roxas as the party's standard-bearer.

Tandems

As to a possible Poe-Sen. Francis “Chiz" Escudero tandem, Estrada quipped, “Poe-Francis? Aba ok… Pero meron ding nagsasabing ‘Erap na lang Poe’ and ‘Best’ or Binay-Estrada."

Still, Estrada reiterated that he was more interested in running for reelection as Mayor of Manila as there were infrastructure projects that he still wanted to complete.

When Estrada ran for Mayor of Manila in 2013, he promised his running mate, Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, that he would stay in office for just one term.

But Estrada changed his mind, explaining that he had yet to accomplish his vision for Manila. He vowed, however, to campaign aggressively for Moreno all over the country should he decide to run for the Senate. — DVM, GMA News