Honasan not bothered by low survey ratings

Senator Gregorio Honasan said he was not bothered with his low ratings, comparing the vice presidential race to a marathon where one preserves his energy for the last 100 meters.

"Hindi naman ako relaxed pero hindi ako nababahala dahil hindi pa nagsisimula ang 90-day campaign period," Honasan said Monday during dzBB’s Ikaw Na Ba? The Vice Presidential Interview with Mike Enriquez.

“Sa tingin ko sa halalan na ito, hindi ito 100-meter dash, ito ay marathon. Nagrereserba ng lakas para sa last 100 meters kung saan magkakaalaman o makikita namin kung sa tingin ng taumbayan, ng botante, na tayo ay karapat-dapat,” he added.

In the latest Pulse Asia survey, Honasan got a five-percent voter preference.

The senator, meanwhile, got eight percent in the latest Social Weather Stations survey.

The senator vowed that he will do his best to present himself and his credentials and the platform and programs of United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) political party to the people.

“Sisikapin ko ang magagawa ko, ipiprisinta ko ang plataporma at programa ng UNA. Sasabihin ko ang aking karanasan bilang sundalo, rebelde at senador at hahayaan na magdesisyon diyan ang taumbayan,” he said.

Honasan is running with Vice President Jejomar Binay, standard bearer of UNA, which was officially launched as a political party in June last year.

'Let voters decide'

Meanwhile, Honasan did not give a categorical answer when asked if he is willing to sign a document stating that he will not seek the presidency if he wins in the vice presidential race in May.

“Hayaan natin ang taumbayan na magdesisyon sa mangyayari sa atin bilang public servants o private individuals,” he said.

The senator, however, said that if he is elected vice president, he would be willing to take on the role of the president if the need arises.

“Ayon sa batas, 'pag temporarily  o permanently incapacitated ang presidente o sa state visit ay person in charge ka. Ang VP ang kakayahan niya dapat kapantay ng Pangulo, dapat handa ang vice president palagi,” he said.

Soldier to senator

Honasan first gained national attention when he joined other military colonels in 1986 in a coup plot to overthrow the administration of the late President Ferdinand Marcos. 

When the coup plot was uncovered, Catholic clergy led civilian efforts to protect the soldiers as well as their primary backers, former Defense Secretary and now Senator Juan Ponce Enrile and then Philippine Constabulary chief, former President Fidel Ramos.

Honasan led several coup attempts against the late President Corazon Aquino, who assumed the presidency on Feb. 25, 1986.

Aquino is the mother of incumbent President Benigno Simeon Aquino III.

Honasan first became a senator in 1995. He was reelected in 2001, 2007, and 2013. —with Veronica Pulumbarit/ALG/KG, GMA News